Little Adjustments
by Jlbrew28
Summary: After Miranda, the crew of Serenity face a few "little" adjustments after another exciting trip to Persephone. Warning: SPANKING IN THIS STORY! DO NOT READ OR REVIEW IF THIS BOTHERS YOU!
1. Another Visit To Persephone!

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead.

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 1: Another Visit To Persephone

"Ya know," Jayne said, smiling brightly, "I think I might just take back every rotten thing I ever said about that no-good rat-faced pig-smellin' Badger." He jingled the bag containing his share of the profits from their latest job.

The crew of the Firefly transport-type ship called _Serenity_ had been hired by the local crime boss (the only crime boss, in his opinion) to pull a rather simple heist. After sustaining the wounds they had on the planet Miranda, the losses they'd suffered, Captain Malcolm Reynolds had been reluctant to accept another job so soon but the physical needs of his crew outweighed, only _just_, their emotional needs. They had to eat, and they had a ship in bad need of repair. They took the job.

For once, Badger had kept his word and paid them what he'd offered.

"Don't go tackin' halos on 'im just yet, Jayne," Mal told his resident mercenary. "Next time he may not be so obliging. Besides, we still gotta find work after this."

"Boreos is nice this time of year," Zoe, his second in command, spoke up for the first time. "Wash always did want to watch me take a bath there." She grinned, but there was no happiness to it.

Mal looked at the beautiful black woman a moment. It had only been a month or so since Halbard Washburn, called Wash to those closest to him had been killed. Wash was Zoë's husband and had been the pilot of his ship. Last month, in their little squeamish over the planet Miranda, he'd lost his life when a Reaver spear had crashed through the bridge and speared the man right through the heart just as he'd managed to land the ship safe and sound.

As long as he lived, Mal would carry around the guilt of his friend's death. "Zoë," he said, speaking quiet like, "if yer needin' some time…"

She cut him off. "No, Sir," she said, shaking her head. "Wash knew the risk the same as all of us, Sir. Me sittin' in my cabin mournin' myself to death ain't doin' you or the crew any good and it certainly ain't gonna bring him back to me. It's best if I just keep busy."

Mal nodded, understanding. "We're here though," he reminded her, "ya know that, right?"

She nodded. "Of course, Sir," she said, looking him in the eye. Of course, she knew. If it hadn't been for them this last month, she would never have survived the heartbreak of her husband's death, let alone be able to carry on without him.

Mal smirked. "Shiny," he said, nodding his head toward the ship, "let's head to the ship and then head to Boreos." They nodded and headed for home.

Heading up to the gang plank, they found a very anxious Inara Sari pacing back and forth. "Everything all right?" he asked the former Companion-turned-ship's-resident-counselor.

The dark haired beauty spun around and threw herself into his arms. Now, he knew something was very wrong! "What is it?" he asked, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"They haven't come back yet," she told him, blinking back tears.

"Who?" Mal asked, puzzled.

"Simon, River, or Kaylee," Inara answered, biting her lip uncomfortably.

Mal looked perplexed. "I thought I told everybody to stay on board?" he asked. He could have sworn those were the orders he'd gave the four remaning members of his crew this morning before they'd left to meet with Badger.

Again, Inara looked uncomfortable. "Simon needed some medical supplies," she explained, "and well…he knew someone close by where he could get some. He said they'd only be gone an hour, but they haven't come back yet. I've been trying and trying to radio them, but all I've gotten is static. Mal, I'm worried."

Mal's eyes widened. For the tough-as-nails-woman to admit that she was scared to him meant that she was _really_ scared, and that he should be _really _worried as well. "Stay here in case they come back," he ordered her and Zoë. "Jayne, yer with me." He spun around, and headed back down the gangplank at a dead run with the mercenary following.

"Where we goin'?" Jayne asked, following behind as fast as he could.

Mal shrugged. "Don't know," he said, "but we're gonna search this entire planet if we have to. I ain't about to leave no crew behind." _Not again. Not __**ever**__ again._

Jayne sighed. "Great," he muttered, "just another fun filled trip to Persephone."

Mal had to grin despite it all.

_My sentiments exactly._

TBC…


	2. Awaking in Darkness

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead.

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 2: Awaking

River Tam awoke in darkness.

It took a couple of minutes for her heart to stop racing.

She wasn't back at the Academy, that much she knew; they weren't looking for her anymore…at least not yet anyway.

Taking a calming breath, she focused her inner thoughts and tried to remember what had happened.

Mal had told them not to leave the ship. Simon needed supplies. She knew where some were. They'd gone to get them…her, Simon, and Kaylee.

They had picked up the supplies and had been on their way back to the ship…when her extraordinary abilities alerted her to danger.

_Too late,_ she thought.

She'd felt a piercing sting in her neck and then everything had gone black.

It was still black.

Was she blind?

Where were Simon and Kaylee?

Sitting up, she tried to see in the darkness but couldn't. Sighing, she closed her eyes and reached out with her "other" abilities.

Two figures lay unconscious in the cell beside her, and it _was_ a cell she knew.

The only thing was, the two who lay beside her were children: a boy and a girl. Both aged twelve, but there was something familiar about them. She reached out more, and then gasped.

"Simon," she whispered, recognizing her brother despite the fact that he somehow now looked exactly as he did when he was twelve years old and she'd been eight. She "looked" at the other, and gasped again.

"Kaylee," she whispered, recognizing the necklace the girl wore as the one Simon had given his new lover just after Miranda.

What had happened? Two young adults were somehow now children, but that wasn't possible.

"Anything is possible," she reminded herself, "in the dark."

River had never been afraid of the dark…not until the Academy. Now the darkness…the unknown…scared her. She didn't want to be crazy anymore, to hear what others didn't and see what they couldn't. She wanted to be Simon's little sister, Kaylee's friend, and Mal's albatross.

"Mal," she whispered into the darkness, seeing the captain as clearly as if he were standing before her. "He's coming, and so is somebody else." She lay back down and closed her eyes. Whoever it was would be in for a BIG surprise.

She heard the footsteps, her the lock turn, and then felt eyes upon her. In that moment, calm settled over her. A resolve, almost. She was no longer the girl, no longer River Tam.

She was a weapon.

With speed beyond that of a "normal" girl, she was up off the floor before the guard knew what hit him. She took out his knees, broke his nose, grabbed his gun, spun to knock him in the back of the head with it, and then as he dropped grabbed his knife.

She stood over him, but it was not the fallen guard that held her attention. Light shown in through the open doorway of the cell, causing her shadow to fall upon the back wall. She gazed at her shadow, but something wasn't right? It was smaller than she remembered seeing it before…

Suddenly, her senses warned of danger and she spun to face three more guards.

She was a weapon.

It was time to kill.

TBC…


	3. Answers

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead.

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 3: Answers

"We ain't even sure where the hell they went," Jayne reminded Mal as they combed the streets for any signs of their missing shipmates.

Mal nodded. "I know," he said, grinning, "but knowin' our little albatross the way we do. I reckon she'll give us a sign before long." He finished loading his pistol and put it back in its hostler.

"Great," Jayne muttered, "the crazy girl's gonna give us a sign. What's it gonna be? Blood and bullets?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth, but the sound of gunfire was heard and the sounds of men screaming in agony.

Mal looked back at him, smirking. "See," he said, "told ya." He started running for the screaming. Glaring at his back, Jayne followed.

They arrived at what appeared to be a ship of some kind, with definite markings that hailed it as Alliance…though, it could have been stolen. Men were running from it, many of them bleeding.

"She's insane!" one of them cried out.

"She's untouchable!" another yelled.

"That's my girl," Mal said, smiling brightly. "C'mon, Jayne." He headed inside the ship.

It didn't take them long to find the source of all the screaming, but it wasn't exactly who they had expected.

A twelve year old girl with stringy brown hair, pale skin, and wearing a loose purple dress stood in the center of carnage. A gun in one hand and a knife in the other, she held herself with grace of a dancer but bore the resemblance of a striking wild cat. She looked _very, very _familiar to them.

"River?" Mal asked, staring at the girl in open astonishment.

The girl's posture didn't waver, the intense look never left her face, but recognition bloomed in her chocolate brown eyes. "I knew you'd come," she said, her voice soft and distant.

Mal nodded. "W-Where's Simon and Kaylee?" he asked her, concerned. Sometimes when River was in one of her "moods" she didn't realize who she was possibly hurting.

She nodded her head toward an open door. "There," she said, and then spun around to fire at a gunmen who had appeared at the top of the staircase leading where Mal probably thought the crew quarters were.

"Jayne," Mal said, and that was all that was needed. The mercenary ran into the room, and came back out a few minutes later with a boy and girl under each arm. The boy wore only a large blue silk shirt and underwear too big for him. The girl had on a boy's button down shirt and a pair of boy's slacks too big for her. They were also familiar looking.

"It can't be," Mal said, looking at River, "can it?"

"Anything is possible," the girl replied, "in the dark."

"What do we do?" Jayne asked, more than a little freaked by this situation.

"Take them back to the ship," Mal ordered him, pulling a second gun from behind his back and cocking it.

"What are you going to do?" the merc asked, a confused look on his face.

"River and I are going to get some answers," he said, nodding at the girl, "ain't that right, little albatross?"

River nodded. "Yes," she said, her eyes wide and distant, "answers would be nice." She began stepping gracefully over the fallen bodies of those she'd killed as if she was doing nothing more than taking a stroll through the park.

Mal shook his head. _The girl is outta it something bad. I wish the doc was awake._

"Don't worry," River said, looking at him. "I'm fine." She smiled at him then, a genuine smile.

He returned the smile. "Good," he said, "now find me some answers." She nodded, and began to make her way up the stairs leading into the rest of the ship.

"Get'em back to the ship and tell Zoë to get 'er prepped," Mal ordered Jayne, before he started after the young "weapon".

Jayne nodded, and high-tailed it out of there. Mal followed River, and was amused as the men they encountered parted and cowered in her wake as if she were some terrifying creature about to devour them.

Suddenly, she stopped.

Mal stopped right behind her. "What is it?" he asked, confused.

She turned and pointed at the door in front of her. "In here," she said, calmly, "is where we'll find our answers."

Mal grinned. "Good," he said, "then I reckon the polite thing would be to knock."

"You're not polite," River reminded him, grinning.

Mal smirked. "You're right," he said, and then blew the lock off the doorway with his pistol. He motioned for River to enter first, knowing she'd anticipate trouble before it happened and be ready for it.

"Lady's first," he said, waving her in.

"Of course," she said, moving with the grace of a ballerina.

He followed her into the room. There he found a scientist looking feller cowering on the floor and at the sight of River trembled violently. "Please, please," he begged, weeping like a new born baby, "don't kill me! I swear, I was only following orders!"

"Orders?" Mal said, jerking him to his feet. "Whose orders?"

The man shook his head. "I do not know," he said, trembling even more.

Mal put his gun up to the man's head. "Wrong answer, pal," he said, cocking the pistol.

"All right," the man said, "I'll tell you what I know!"

"Good," Mal said, "then start talking or I'll let the girl there have you."

The man looked at River, who smiled sweetly at him. For some reason, he wet himself.

"Start with what the Gorramn hell did you do to my crew!?" Mal barked out, jerking him roughly by the collar.

"T-They were injected with age-regression serum," the man explained.

"Age regression?" Mal asked puzzled. "Why?"

"M-Money," the man stammered. "T-They were supposed to be returned to either infant state o-o-or early childhood—around three or five—so that they could be given to a wealthy couple or adoption."

"An adoption racket?" Mal asked, even more confused. "Why take adults and turn 'em into children?"

"B-Because," the man stammered, "e-e-even in the outer planets a baby or child disappearing would be noticed."

"But adults wouldn't be, is that it?" Mal asked, his eyes held an anger so great within them that they practically ignited with fire. "Is it?"

The man nodded. "Yes, yes," he said, "b-but I swear I was only following orders. We were to find a few young adults—healthy and whole—to try the formula out on. T-The three we took survived the procedure."

"Good," Mal growled, "because I'd have been very displeased if they hadn't. Now, is there a cure?"

The man shook his head. "No," he said, then started weeping again, "I'm sorry. I was only following orders."

"That's what they all say," Mal growled at him, and then punched him squarely in the jaw.

"He sleeps," River said, sighing, "but he doesn't dream."

Mal nodded. "Let's go, little'un," he said, reaching for her hand.

She took it. "What will we do now?" she asked him, curious. They made their way from the ship, without any interference amazingly, and headed for the _Serenity_.

"What we have to," Mal told her, seriously. "We'll adjust."

River nodded. "But will it be easy or hard to adjust?" she asked him.

He just looked down at her.

"I don't know, little albatross," he said, grinning, "you tell me?"

She merely looked at him, her eyes distant as if peering into the future.

_Hell, for all I know she is._

Together, the two of them continued on towards home.

What they'd find when they got there, they just didn't know.

TBC…


	4. Man to Man

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 4: Man to Man

Mal and River made it back to _Serenity. _They found Zoë and Jayne in the galley.

"Everything ready?" Mal asked his second in command.

Zoë nodded. "Yes, Sir," she said, staring at River. "I still can't believe it."

Mal reached out and placed a hand on the girl's head. "Believe it," he told her. "Where's Kaylee?"

"Inara took her to her shuttle," Zoe explained. "She was very upset when she woke up."

"Understandable," Mal said, sighing, "and Simon?"

"Oh," Jayne said, biting into the apple he was eating, "he hightailed it to his room. Said he wasn't gonna come out ever again…at least that what he said when we asked when he planned on comin' out."

Mal sighed, again. He looked at River. "Think you can get us off this rock?" he asked her, curious. Ever since Wash's death, the girl had proved herself to be quite the pilot. Since no one else felt comfortable hiring an outsider to take Wash's place, he'd let the girl pilot with him and Zoë each taking a shift behind the wheel as well.

She nodded. "Of course," she said, smiling.

"Good girl," he told her. "Zoë, go with her." The woman nodded and then the two of them headed for the bridge.

Mal looked at Jayne, who was still eating. "You think you could scrape us up some grub?" he asked the mercenary.

Jayne shrugged. "I reckon I can," he said, "but ain't it the doc and Kaylee's turn to do the cookin'?"

Mal gave them a look. "I think they're a little preoccupied at the moment," he said, sarcastically, "don't you?"

Jayne shrugged. "I guess," he said, getting up and tossing his apple core in the trash.

Mal just shook his head and turned to head toward the crew quarters. Inara would take good care of Kaylee he knew, so that just left finding out how Simon was handling things.

_Knowin' the doc, probably not too well._

Mal went to the door that lowered into what used to be the "guest" quarters, but had since become Simon and River's permanent bunks. Sliding down the ladder, he went to the room on the right. The door was closed, but not completely. A small crack was left in it enough that he could see what the kid was doing.

_Might as well see what I'm walkin' into before I actually do it._

Peering inside, he grinned at what he saw. Sliding the door open, he leaned again it and waited a moment. Simon, wearing nothing but his birthday suit, was standing in front of a mirror staring at his altered body in shock and disgust.

"Ya might wanna make sure the door's closed all the way," Mal spoke, startling the boy, "before ya go doin' any exams on yerself."

Simon spun around, his hand covering himself quickly. "There's such a thing as knocking," he growled at him, his face reddening in embarrassment.

Mal rolled his eyes and stepped completely into the room. "You ain't got anything," he told him, closing the door behind him, "that ain't ever seen before."

Simon just glared. "Get out," he said, not moving from in front of the mirror.

"No," Mal told him, going and sitting on the bed, "I thought we might sit and talk for a spell. You know, man to man." He patted the spot beside, beckoning the now much younger kid to sit beside him.

"I don't want to talk," Simon said, "I want to be left alone. Now get out, Captain!" He pointed toward the door, but was quick to recover himself.

"Would you knock it off," Mal told him, "and get yer ass over here!" He slammed his hand down onto the bed again, a little harder than was necessary.

Simon jumped, but did as he was told. Reluncantly, he came a sat beside him. He kept his hands where they were, however.

Mal smirked. "There ain't that much to see," he told him, grinning, "you know."

Simon glared at him. "Gee," he said, sarcastically, "thanks a lot."

Mal chuckled. "It's only natural you being curious and all," he told him. "I'd be too if it was me."

Simon nodded. "How did this happen?" he asked, after a moment.

"Some Alliance big wig created some age-regression potion," Mal told him. "You, River, and Kaylee were supposed to be turned into infants again so you could be given to a wealthy couple."

"Does everything in this Goramn 'Verse revolve around money!?" Simon asked, standing up.

Mal grabbed his shoulder and forced him to sit back down. "Sad to say, son," he told him, "but it does."

"I'm not your son," Simon growled at him. "I'm nobody's son now."

Mal looked at him, sadly. _Maybe we can change that._

Simon sighed. "Are they okay?" he asked. "River and Kaylee I mean?"

"Aside from being younger," Mal said, "River's just fine. I'm not too sure about Kaylee. Inara's taken good care of her, though."

"Then why arent' you with her, too?" Simon asked. "She looks up to you."

"Because," Mal told him, "I'm taken care of you at the moment."

"I don't need taking care of, Captain," Simon told him, his jaw setting in an adolescent show of defiance. "I can take care of myself and my sister just fine."

"Really?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow. "Were you taking care of yourself and your sister this morning when you disobeyed my orders and left the ship?"

Simon jaw set even more. "We needed the supplies," he growled at him.

"We could have gotten them later," Mal told him, his own jaw setting firmly. "Badger actually paid us what he owed us this time."

"I didn't know that," Simon argued, angrily.

"It didn't matter," Mal told him, sternly, "you still should have followed orders!"

Simon pouted. "I didn't know this was going to happen," he said, his face falling. "I-I-I'm sorry!" He started crying, huge tears falling down his face as he did so. Sobs racked his body and he began trembling.

Mal was at a loss of what to do. He hadn't meant to upset the boy, merely make him see that he needed to follow orders better. Sighing, he wrapped an arm around the boy and pulled him against him. To his surprise, the boy wrapped his arms around him and cried into his chest.

"There, there," he said, awkwardly, "everything's gonna be all right, Simon. I promise."

Was that the right thing to say? Somehow, this was easier with Kaylee and River?

Why was it so hard to comfort Simon?

Simon shook his head. "No, it's not," he sobbed. "Everything's different now!"

"I reckon that's true enough," Mal told him, "but we're still alive and we're still a crew."

Simon just continued to cry, until at last his sobs softened and he drifted asleep. Mal heard the quiet breathing and looked down at the slumbering twelve year old boy nestled against his chest.

He sighed. "So much for our man to man talk, son," he said, getting up and laying the boy's head on his pillow. "Maybe next time, we'll try a Captain to Doctor talk, huh?"

He moved a few locks of hair out of the boy's face. _I reckon if anybody deserved a good cry it'd be you, Simon. Ya've had too much on yer shoulders fer too long now._

"What am I gonna do with ya?" he asked the sleeping boy, quietly. "I don't know the first thing about raisin' young'uns and here I got me three to raise!"

Shaking his head, he quietly exited the room. He knew exactly where he needed to go next. To the one place on the ship he could relax and be himself.

Inara's shuttle.

TBC…


	5. Girl Talk

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 5: Girl Talk

Kaylee lay on Inara's bed with her head in the former Companion's lap. She had finally cried herself out, unable to utter another sob or shed another tear. When they'd first woke up, it had been Simon who'd been freaked out about this. He'd gone running to his room, threatening to never come out. That had then set her off, and Inara had ushered to her shuttle to have a little private time; just the two of them.

"This isn't the end of the world, Kaylee," Inara said, as she pulled her fingers through her hair, "at least you all are alive."

"But we ain't the same, Inara," Kaylee argued, raising her head slightly.

"Why aren't you?" Inara asked, grinning. "Just because your physically younger now doesn't mean you aren't still Kaylee, does it?"

"Well," the now twelve year old girl said, "I reckon not but…"

"No," Inara said, firmly, "no buts, Kaywenit Lee. Nothing is going to change, except maybe Mal is going to be even _more_ protective of you now."

Kaylee smiled a bit a that. She really did love the way the captain tried to protect her, as if he were her father or something. Ever since her folks were killed in a Reaver attack, a few months before Simon and River had come on board, she'd missed having someone like that in her life. She had always looked up to the captain, so it stood to reason that he would become her father-figure.

"I reckon yer right," she admitted, sighing, "but things ain't gonna be the same with Simon and me. I mean, we can't…" She trailed off, blushing.

"No," she agreed, "but you aren't going to stay twelve, you know. You're both going to grow up. Look at it this way, you will have plenty of time to really get to know each other now. To share an experience you didn't before."

Kaylee nodded. "I hope he sees it that way," she said, sitting up. "It's just so weird, ya know?"

Inara nodded. Of course, she knew. "It's going to take time," she said, gently, "and we're all going to have to adjust but I think we're all going to make it through this just fine."

"Because we're family?" Kaylee asked, hopefully.

"That's right," a deep voice spoke from the doorway of the shuttle, "we're family."

They turned their head to find Mal staring at them. "Am I interruptin' anything?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Just some girl talk," Inara told him, grinning. He nodded, understanding.

Kaylee was off the bed in a second, wrapping her arms around his waist and crying into his stomach. Okay, maybe she wasn't as cried out as she had thought.

The captain wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back gently. "There, there," he said, softly, "it's okay, Mei Mei. Don't cry."

She looked up at him with her large brown eyes. "I can't help it," she said, more tears leaking out of her eyes.

He reached and rubbed them away. "It's going to be okay," he told her. "Just like I got through tellin' Simon, we'll just have to adjust is all."

She nodded. "Is he okay?" she asked, worried about her boyfriend…or former boyfriend now, she supposed. They could still _like_ each other, couldn't they?

"Well," he said, "he's havin' a bit a trouble findin' something to wear, but other than that he's doin' about as well as you I'd say."

She sighed. "This is just so weird," she repeated, biting her lip.

"No weirder than half the other stuff we've been through," he reminded her, "now, why don't you go wash up while me and Inara talk for a bit. Okay?"

She looked at Inara, who nodded. The she nodded. "Sure thing, Cap'n," she said, and then scurried out of the shuttle and headed for her own quarters.

Mal watched her go, and then sighed. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to find Inara standing there.

The woman's long black hair was pulled back by a pair of jeweled combs and she was wearing a silk blue over-the-shoulder wrapping dress that left her right shoulder bare. If Mal didn't know any better, he could have sworn she seemed to get even more beautiful each time he saw her.

"How are you doing?" she asked him, quietly.

He shrugged. "I don't reckon I've got much of a choice," he said. "They're lookin' to me for support so I've gotta be there to give it to 'em."

"But who is going to support you?" she asked him, her deep brown eyes seeming to bore right through him.

He looked away, uncomfortable. He sighed. "What am I gonna do, Inara?" he asked her, quietly. "I don't the first thing about raising young'uns."

"You'll learn," she told him, "and you're not alone."

He looked at her then. "Will you help me?" he asked her, suddenly.

She looked at him in confusion. "Help you with what?" she asked him, curious.

"With raisin' Simon, Kaylee, and River," he told her. "If I'm gonna be their pa, more or less, then their gonna need a ma of sorts. Zoë ain't exactly the maternal type and I'd sooner they think of Jayne as the pet monkey."

She grinned at that. "I'm flattered," she said, "and I'll do whatever I can to help. You know that."

He nodded. "I know," he said, quietly.

She looked him in the eyes. "Mal," she started to say, but he put a finger to her lips.

"No need," he said, "I already know, darlin'." He then bent down and gently pressed his lips to hers.

It wasn't a deep kiss or a long one, as he pulled away quickly, but it left butterflies soaring around in her stomach none the less.

He'd never admit it, but it did the same to Mal. "Thank you," he told her, smirking. He then turned and headed out of the shuttle headed for the bridge to check on River and Zoë.

Inara watched him go, clutching her stomach to calm it. "You're welcome," she said, smiling brightly.

_There might be hope for you yet, petty thief._

TBC…

(A.N--this might be my last update for the next several days as I'm going out of town. If I get the chance to while I'm gone, I will but probably won't. See you when I get back. Bye.)


	6. Sisters

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 6: Sisters

Simon didn't know what woke him up, but he did know there was someone in his room. Sitting up, he peered in the darkness and found a familiar face…at least, it had been familiar five years ago.

"River?" he asked, shocked to see his little sister at twelve years old again, "is that you?"

She nodded. "Your naked," she informed him, calmly.

Simon looked down and saw she was right. He quickly pulled the covers over him. "You could have said that before," he grumbled at her, blushing.

"You're such a boob," she told him, coming to sit on the bed with him. "There's nothing to see anymore, anyway."

He glared at her. "You're the second person to tell me that," he growled at her.

She giggled. "I know," she told him, smirking.

He grinned despite himself. "You're such a brat," he told her.

She smiled. "We're the same age now," she told him.

He nodded. "I know," he said, "but maybe I can find a way to reverse…"

She shook her head. "There is no way," she told him, knowingly. "The formula turns deadly if you alter it."

"You know it?" he asked her, curious.

She nodded. "Yes," she told him.

He sighed. There went that idea.

"You're wrong, you know," she told him, next.

He looked at her in confusion. "Wrong about what?" he asked, puzzled.

"About not being somebody's son," she told him.

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about that, River," he told her. "What happened between me and Dad…"

She shook her head. "He's not our father, anymore," she told him, bluntly. "He didn't deserve us. Mal does."

"Mal?" Simon asked, confused. "What's Mal got to do with anything?"

"He's our pa now," she told him. "He's our pa, Inara our ma, Zoe's our auntie, and Jayne's the pet monkey."

That last one had him smiling despite himself. "What about Kaylee?" he asked, frowning.

"She's our sister," River told him, calmly.

"I don't want her for a sister," Simon said, annoyed.

"Yaw don't?" a voice asked from the doorway. It was Kaylee.

Simon winced. "I didn't mean it like that," he said, beckoning her to come in. "I just meant…I want things back the way they were before."

Kaylee came in and sat on the end of his bed. "I do, too," she told him, "but it don't look that's gonna happen so we just got go with the flow."

Simon sighed. "I haven't ever been good at that," he admitted, sighing.

"I know," Kaylee told him, "but that's what River and me is for."

"To get on my nerves and make me wish I was an only child?" he asked her, teasingly.

"No, silly," she said, playfully slapping one of his leg, "to help yaw go with the flow."

"Oh," he said, "is that what it's called, and here I thought it was just called being sisters."

Kaylee and River grinned at him, and he suddenly had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Before he could react, they both dove on him and started tickling him. Both of them being very familiar with his ticklish areas, River from when they were children before and Kaylee from…well…other things, they both had him at their mercy.

"Well now," another voice from the doorway said, "I certainly like hearin' the sounds of laughter, but it ain't exactly fittin' for two young ladies to be in the room with a naked boy."

They all looked to find Mal, holding a set of clothing. "It's time for dinner," he told them, "so why don't you two girls head on up while Simon gets dressed."

"Yes, sir," the two girls said, heading out past him. They giggled as they headed up the ladder.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Sisters," he muttered, to himself.

"Tell me about it," Mal said, coming in and dumping the clothes on the bed. "Yaw feelin' better?"

Simon shrugged. "I suppose I don't have much choice," he said, looking over the clothes. "Whose are these?"

"Well," Mal said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "they were mine when I was…yer size." He started to say age, but didn't think the boy would appreciate that.

Simon looked surprised. "You want me to wear them?" he asked, surprised.

Mal shrugged. "Might as well," he said. "My ma was something of a pack rat and kept just about everythin'. I figures these would do 'til we reach Boreos and can get yaw something that yaw like better."

Simon nodded. "Thank you, Captain," he said, "I appreciate it."

Mal just grinned at him. "You hurry up now," he told him, "because between Jayne and those sisters of the grub'll be gone afore we get there."

"You can go ahead," Simon told him. "I know my way to the galley."

"I know," Mal said, "but I want to make sure the clothes fit all right in case I need to go get some others."

"Oh," Simon said, blushing.

"Come on, son," Mal told him, rolling his eyes. "It's just us now, and I already seen yaw in yer full glory. Just get the clothes on already. I'm hungry."

Simon nodded and quickly got into the clothes. They fit fine.

"Good," Mal said, clapping him on the back. "Now, let's go eat."

"Sure," Simon said, grinning slightly.

One thing was certain; dinner was certainly going to be an interesting event this evening.

TBC…


	7. Discussion over Dinner

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 7: Discussion over Dinner

Dinner was a quiet affair.

Mal sat at the head of the table as always, and Inara sat across from him at the other end. Zoë and Jayne sat on one side, an empty chair between them where Wash used to sit. Kaylee, Simon, and River sat on the other side. No one spoke as they ate the rough looking stew Jayne had prepared for them.

"What exactly is the job on Boreos?" Inara, uncomfortable with the silence, asked Mal.

"Oh," he said, "it's just a simple pick up-drop off kinda thing. Nothing that won't take us that long."

"Then we should be able to go shopping afterwards, shouldn't we?" she asked, grinning at him.

Mal shrugged. "I guess so," he said, "s'long as yer back in time."

"Don't worry," Inara told him, "I'm sure the ship won't leave without its captain."

"Huh?" Mal asked, confused.

"You're coming with us," she told him, smiling.

"I am?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"How many twelve year old boys do you see buying clothes for themselves?" she asked, raising an eyebrow also.

Mal had to think about that one. "I don't know," he said, "but surely yaw can help Simon better than me."

"Uh, excuse me," Simon spoke up, staring from one to the other, "but what are you talking about?"

"Yer gonna need some clothes, I reckon," Mal told him. "Inara's gonna take you three shoppin' while me, Zoe, and Jayne can do the job we've been hired to do."

"We'll be going _after_ the job is finished," Inara said, "so that Mal can go into the shops with you while I help Kaylee and River."

Simon looked at Mal. "Uh," he said, "I think I'd be better off going alone."

Mal scowled at him, and the grinned at Inara. "I reckon yer right," he said, "I guess I will go help the boy wit some shoppin'."

Simon sighed. "That's not necessary, Captain," he said, quietly. "Besides, I might be physically twelve but I'm still me."

Mal nodded. "You sure about that, son?" he asked him, curious. "Cuz' I reckon yaw never woulda cried on my shoulder a few days ago like yaw did?"

Simon blushed. "I was just emotional," he argued, scowling. "I was upset is all."

"No you weren't," River said, earning a glare from her brother. "We aren't the same Simon."

"Speak for yourself," Simon told her. "I feel exactly the same."

She nodded. "Maybe so," she said, "but the transformation altered our emotions as well as our bodies."

"What do you mean?" Kaylee asked, worried. "Am I gonna start actin' twelve again?"

"Didn't yaw do that already?" Jayne asked, earning a glare from everyone at the table. "What? I'm just sayin'." He then continued to shove stew into his mouth.

"No," River answered Kaylee's question, "but our emotional stability is different. We may think like we always did, but physically and emotionally we _are _twelve years old again."

"This is just so confusin'," Kaylee said, blinking back tears.

"It's gonna be okay," Mal told her, reaching over and patting her hand. "We ain't gonna let anything bad happen to yaw, Mei Mei."

"You already did," Simon muttered, though everyone heard him.

Mal raised an eyebrow at the boy. "What ta run that by me again, son?" he asked, frowning.

Simon looked up. "Uh," he said, suddenly finding his stew very interesting, "not really."

"I'd watch the mouth if I were yaw, then," Mal warned him, "unless yaw'd like to be standin' at breakfast."

Simon's eyes widen at the threat. "You wouldn't…"

Mal just looked at him. "Give me a reason and I will," he warned him. "Understand?"

Simon nodded. "Yes," he said, quietly.

"Shiny," Mal told him. "Now, let's finish eatin' and turn in. We've got a busy couple of days ahead of us."

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, everyone having something on their minds to think about.

_The darkness changes things…but the light makes them better._

River knew everything was going to be all right, at least that's what she hoped.

They still had to get outta of the darkness, first.

TBC…


	8. A Shopping We Will Go

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 8: A Shopping We Will Go

Two days later, the ship landed on the planet Boreos.

Boreos was a pleasure planet, more or less. It was an ocean planet with lots of beaches, so of course it was something of the vacation spot for all the wealthy inhabitants in the Alliance. There were a ton of hotels, casinos, fairs, and other things that kept vacationing people happy and entertained.

There was also quite a bit of "irregular" business done here…such as smuggling and the like.

Upon landing, Mal took Zoë and Jayne with him to see the man that had hired them. As he'd predicted, the talks didn't take long and the "cargo" they were supposed to deliver to the planet Triton (a planet of mostly water, hence the name) was stowed aboard _Serenity_ in a couple hours.

"Ready to go?" Inara asked him, after the "cargo" had been placed in the secret hold that they used for such things.

Mal grimaced, but nodded. "Sure thing," he said, hoping he sounded more enthusiastic than he felt about this "shopping" trip, "where are the young'uns?"

Inara grinned. "They're waiting on the shuttle for us," she told him, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the stairs of the cargo hold.

He looked back and ordered, "Stay on the ship and get 'er ready to fly just as soon as we dock."

Zoë saluted, grinning. "Aye, aye, Sir," she said, smirking, "and you all have fun now. Yaw here."

Mal scowled at her. "Yer a cruel woman," he called back over his shoulder as Inara dragged him off to her shuttle. Zoë just laughed, which he found made him smile.

_She ain't done enough of that lately, _he thought to himself.

"If we hurry," Inara was telling him as she drug him along, "we can beat the crowd and still have time to do a little sight seeing before the afternoon."

"Yaw didn't say nothin' bout sight-seeing," he told her, sourly.

She smiled at him Mal. "Come now, Mal," she said. "This will more likely be the first time Simon, River, and Kaylee have ever been to Boreos. You heard River last night—they may have the minds of adults but their more or less children now. Children need time to play."

"All right," he conceded, though somewhat reluctantly, "but we can't be all day about it. We got cargo to deliver, remember?"

She just grinned at him. "Of course, Captain," she said, smirking.

When they reached her shuttle, they found the three youngest crew members waiting in side. Simon and Kaylee sat on the sofa, while River was in the cockpit at the controls.

"Just what do yaw think yer doin', little Albatross?" Mal asked the girl, raising an eyebrow at her.

River looked back him, adjusting the controls. "Flying," she said, matter-of-factly, "what are you doing?"

Mal grinned. From anyone else that probably would have sounded like back-talk, but somehow it didn't from the young Reader. "Not this time," he said, gesturing for her to get up, "I'm flying."

"No you are not," Inara informed in with her hands on her hips. "It's my shuttle, _I'll_ be doing the flying. Thank you."

Mal crossed his arms. "It ain't yer shuttle," he told her. "Yer just _rentin'_, remember?"

River grinned at the familiar argument. Turning around in the pilot's chair, she switched some levers, adjusted the controls, hit the docking switch, and started the shuttle up. Undocking from the ship, she headed for the nearest market.

The sudden lurch of the shuttle undocking caused Inara to stumble forward, right into Mal's arms. He smirked at her.

"Yaw been drinkin'?" he teased, grinning lopsidedly.

She huffed, regaining her balance and pushing him away. "No, Captain, I have not," she informed him, hands on hips.

Mal just chuckled. "Too bad," he said. "Mighta been fun to see what happened."

Inara rolled her eyes at him. "Just go sit down, Mal," she ordered, pointing back into the "main" part of the shuttle.

Mal saluted her. "Aye, aye," he said, smiling, "after all, it's _your_ shuttle." He moved quickly out of range to avoid the smack to the back of his head she aimed at him. Chuckling, he went and sat down on the sofa with Simon and Kaylee.

He glanced at the two kids. Over the last two days, they seemed to adjust differently to the situation. Kaylee, being Kaylee, remained cheery and optimistic yet Simon seemed to redraw into himself more. River, of course, remained the same as always. It seemed to Mal that the girls had each other, they had always been close but seemed even closer. It was Simon who was left out, being that there wasn't anyone around who could really understand what he was going through.

_I reckon that my job, _he thought to himself_. If I'm gonna be his pa, more or less, I need to get to know the kid a bit better. Before all he and I did was fight and bicker, but now we gotta put that behind us. He ain't a smart mouth rich kid anymore—although, that mouth of his may just get him a lickin' afore long—but a kid he needs someone to confide in and care for him. _

"Yaw alright, Cap'n?" Kaylee asked him, breaking into his musings. "Yaw look a bit distracted."

Mal just smiled at the girl. "Just thinkin', Mei Mei," he told her, patting her leg. "Just thinkin' is all."

"About what?" she asked, curious.

He shrugged, glancing at Simon. The boy was off in his own world at the moment and wasn't really paying anyone any attention. "Just guy stuff," he told her, smirking. "Nothin' yaw'd find interesting'."

She shrugged. "If yaw say so," she said, and then got up to go join River and Inara in the cockpit.

Mal looked at Simon. "So," he said, hesitantly, "looks like its just gonna be me and yaw today."

Simon looked up, and nodded. "I suppose so," he said, just as awkwardly.

"Got anything yaw want to do?" Mal asked him. "Aside from findin' yaw some clothes, that is?"

Simon looked confused. "I don't understand," he said, "what else would I want to do?"

Mal scratched his chin. "Well, Inara mentioned something 'bout sight-seein' after we get done shoppin'," he explained, "so I was just wonderin' if there was somethin' yaw might want to do?"

Simon shrugged. "Not really," he said, and then went back to staring at the floor.

"Oh," Mal said, sighing, "okay."

_Hmm, this may be harder than I reckoned…_

TBC…


	9. Fazar the Bazaar

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 9: Fazar the Bazaar

River landed the shuttle at the designated landing site for the bazaar, and they all piled out.

"Now then," Inara said to Mal once they were all out of the shuttle, "why don't you and Simon start on one end of the bazaar and we will start on the other end. We'll meet in the middle."

Mal shrugged. "I reckon that's all right with me," he said, "but we have ta be back on the ship by sundown."

Inara just smiled. "Don't worry, Captain," she told him, smirking, "we've got plenty of time. Why don't you pick you out some clothes too, while you're getting Simon some?"

Mal looked down at his usual attire and frowned. "What wrong with this?" he asked, a bit insulted.

Inara grinned. "Nothing," she said, "but it would be nice if you had at least a _few_ other things to wear besides that old uniform. C'mon, girls, let go." She linked arms with both girls and they started for the bazaar.

"I can't wait to see all the pretties," Kaylee gushed, sounding a lot like her old self. It seemed no matter her physical age, she was always going to be bubbly and happy.

"Clothing should be sensible and functional," River said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes," Inara agreed, "but that doesn't mean it can't also look good on you at the same time." They all laughed and headed on in to the bazaar.

Mal and Simon watched them go, exchanged looks, and then shrugged. "Women," Mal said, shaking his head, "go figure."

Simon nodded. "I guess we'd better get this over with," he said, sighing.

Mal grinned. 'It ain't like yer goin' in front of a firin' squad," he told him, smirking. "It's not that bad bein' with me, is it?"

In answer, the boy just shrugged. "Let's just go find me clothes, Captain," he said, and started for the bazaar.

Mal sighed, and followed after him. "It's going to be long day," he muttered to himself.

They walked in silence for a little while, simply watching all that was happening around them until finally Mal couldn't stand it any more. "There looks like a shop that sells men's clothin'," he told Simon, "let's try in there." The boy nodded, and headed that way.

They were greeted at the opening of the small shop by a large man with a very large smile on his face. "Greetings, my friends, on this absolutely WONDERFUL day," he gushed at them. "Welcome to Fazar's Shop, I'm Fazar and how may I help you this WONDERFUL day?"

Mal and Simon both raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh," Mal said, patting the boy on the shoulder, "my boy here needs some duds. Got anything that might fit 'im?" Simon scowled at him for the "my boy" comment, but he ignored him.

Fazar turned his beady little eyes on Simon. "Of course," he said, smiling even broadly, "we have a fine selection in just his size. Come right this way." He turned and headed through a draped off door on the left of the shop.

Simon looked at Mal. "His smile gets any bigger and he could pass himself off as a shark," he commented, grinning.

Mal nodded, agreeing with him. "I reckon so," he said, "but let's just get the duds and get outta here." He gave him a little push in the direction the fat man had went. He followed after him.

Twenty minutes later, they came out of that back room with one pair of khaki pants, one pair of black pants, and pair of blue pants. They also had one button down shirt in blue, one in green, and one in red. They also had socks and underwear, as well.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, gentlemen?" Fazar asked, his smile almost feral at the thought of making even more money.

"Well," Mal said, scratching his chin, "I reckon that'll do 'im for now…"

"Actually," Simon said, a mischievous grin on his face, "_Pa_ here needs some things, too." He leaned in closer to the fat man and whispered loudly, "_Ma's_ orders, you know."

Mal scowled at that, but the fat man's smile widened even more. "Of course," he gushed, "we have just the thing. Please, follow me." He then turned and headed through a draped off door on the right side of the shop—obviously where he kept the adult clothing.

Mal crossed his arms and glared at the boy beside him. "Pa?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Simon shrugged. "He assumes were father and son," he said, logically, "might as well keep up appearances, right?" He smirked, proud of his own cleverness.

"Just you wait, son," Mal growled at him. "Yer gonna pay for this."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Go on, _Pa,_" he told him, grinning evilly, "wouldn't want _Ma_ to be mad…would you?"

"Remind me to shoot you later," Mal growled out, following the fat man through the draped off area.

They both came out ten minutes later and Mal had a nice new suit draped over his arm. "Will that be everything for you two gentlemen today?" Fazar asked, seeming almost disappointed.

Mal nodded, giving Simon a death glare to keep his mouth shut. "Yep," he said, and then reached for his wallet, "that's it."

The fat man wrapped their packages for them and then took Mal's money. "You two have WONDERFUL day today," he said, counting the money in his fat hands.

Mal rolled his eyes. "Sure thing, pal," he said, and then gave Simon a little shove toward the exit.

Once outside, Simon sighed. "Talk about Bazaar," he said, chuckling.

Mal looked at him and grinned. "Did yaw just make a joke?" he asked him, curious.

Simon shrugged. "I'm not serious all the time, Mal," he told him, rolling his eyes.

Mal sighed. "Could have fooled me, young'un," he told him. "Now that _that's_ done, what do yaw want to do?"

Simon thought a moment. "Let's get something to eat," he said, smelling a delicious smell coming from somewhere. "I'm hungry."

Mal grinned. "I'm a might starved myself," he said, rubbing his own stomach. "Let's go."

"Sure thing, _Pa_," Simon said, smirking, "whatever you say."

Mal scowled at him. "Yep," he said, "I'm definitely gonna shoot you later."

Together, the two of them hurried on toward the nearest eating establishment. Both were more than ready to put as much distance between them and Fazar the Bazaar behind them.

TBC…

(A.N—I'm afraid I'm only going to be able to update one story at a time from now on and it'll probably be a few days in-between updates. School is really starting to get hectic and I'm doing everything I can to keep my head above water. I'll try and update as often as I can, so please be patient. Thanks for reading and keep reviewing. It's appreciated greatly. Bye for now.)


	10. Bonding on Boreos

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 10: Bonding on Boreos

There happened to be a small eatery not too far away and that is where Simon and Mal stopped to grab something to eat. After they had ordered, Mal did something he hadn't ever done before now. He studied Simon, watched him for a few moments trying to determine his mood or what he was thinking.

"Y'know, Simon," he said, after a moment, "we ain't ever really talked none…at least when it wasn't about a job, doctorin', or River."

Simon shrugged. "What else were we supposed to talk about?" he asked, curious.

Mal shrugged back. "I don't rightly know," he admitted, "but surely there's something else we can jaw over besides them things."

Simon looked perplexed. "You know," he said, after a moment, "you're right. What do you want to talk about?"

Mal thought a moment. "Well," he said, "why don't we start by yaw tellin' me a little bit about where you like at twelve…the first time. Maybe it'll give me a heads up on what to expect now."

Simon grinned. "I haven't thought about that time in my life in years," he answered, honestly. "I've spent so much of my time trying to help River that…well, nothing else seemed to matter."

"Well," Mal said, "what _do_ yaw remember?"

"I remember," Simon said, grinning, "well…being really excited about getting a new computer so that I could study more medical texts, and…I remember River and I used to play this game where we'd pretend to be soldiers fighting the…uh…well…" He trailed off, realizing just to whom he was speaking to.

Mal looked confused. "Pretended to fight who?" he asked, curious.

Simon blushed. "Well," he said, hesitantly, "the…uh…Independents."

"Oh," Mal said, grinning, "is that all."

Simon raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean," he said, "you're not offended?"

Mal shrugged. "Why should I be?" he asked. "When I was a young'un, I used to pretend to fight the Alliance—course, when I grew up I actually did, but that's beside the point. What else? Did y'ever go play with your friends?"

Simon frowned. "Actually," he said, "I didn't have too many friends back then. It wasn't until after I started medical school that I got to really know some of my classmates."

"Oh," Mal said, frowning. "What about yer Pa? Did he ever do stuff wit' yaw? Like go fishing, or…something?"

Simon chuckled. "My father wouldn't know which end of a fishing pole was up," he said, "and no. He never really had time for me…or River for that matter. I really shouldn't have been surprised by the fact that he disowned us, but I was." There was a sad note to his voice, and he looked down at the table.

Mal shook his head. _So, not only did he take care of his little sister he also didn't get what I'd call a childhood. Poor kid._

Their food arrived after that, and they both ate in silence. Simon really didn't know what to say and Mal was trying to think up something to say. After they were done, they sat there a little while before finally getting up and heading on further into the bazaar.

As they walked, they watched all the colorful attractions the bazaar had to offer. One in particular caught Mal's eye and he grinned. "Hey, Simon," he said, nudging the boy's shoulder a bit, "how'd yaw like to learn to shoot properly?"

Simon frowned. "Uh, Mal," he said, "I was terrible with a gun when I was big enough to actually hold a gun properly. Now, I think I'd be worse."

Mal shook his head. "No," he said, pointing, "I mean learning to shoot a water pistol. Lookee there."

Simon followed his extended finger to where it was pointing at a shooting gallery booth.

"What do y'say?" Mal asked, smirking. "It could be fun."

Simon looked at the booth and then at Mal. He shrugged. "Sure," he said, "why not?"

Mal clapped him on back. "Thataboy!" he said, and headed in the direction of the booth.

"Well," the booth manager said, "good afternoon, gents. Care to try your hand?"

Mal nodded, plopping down a couple of coins down. "Sure would," he said. "Figured I'd teach the boy here a thing or two about shootin'."

Simon rolled his eyes at that, which was ignored of course.

"Well then," the manager said, "be my guest." He handed both Simon and Mal a water pistol.

"Just aim for the little hole, Simon," Mal told him. "The first one to pop the balloon that the water will fill up, wins. Got it?"

Simon nodded. "Sure," he said, smirking. "I think I can manage." He then proceeded to take aim, and shot his water straight into the hole until it popped.

Mal looked startled a moment, and then followed suit. The manager then handed Simon a large stuffed toy and gave Mal a small stuffed toy. "Who was supposed to be teaching who?" he asked, smirking.

Mal glared at him. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, as he and Simon headed away from the booth. "What was that?"

Simon shrugged. "I have good hand-eye coordination," he said, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Uh huh," Mal said, not believing him for a minute, "I think I've been had."

Simon burst out laughing. "I _have_ shot a water pistol before, Mal," he told him. "River and I used to drench each other with them."

"Little brat," Mal grumbled, looking at the small stuffed toy he held.

Simon grinned. "Anything else you want to do?" he asked him.

Mal sighed. "I was only tryin' to get yaw to have a little fun," he told him.

Simon nodded. "I know," he said, "and I appreciate it. I'm still trying to figure this all out. I mean, am I twelve or I am an adult. According to River, I'm a kid again but I still feel like an adult. It's so confusing."

Mal nodded, patting him on the back. "I know," he told him, seriously, "and I know its hard for yaw because y'don't have anyone to talk to about it, but y'know you can always talk to me."

"I-I don't know," Simon said. "I think we've proven you and I have trouble with conversations."

"Well," Mal told him, "maybe if we talked more often we'd get better at it. What'd y'think?"

Simon grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said.

Mal chuckled. "Thataboy," he said, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

Simon grumbled. "Uh," he said, "do you have to do that?"

Mal smirked, evilly. "Yep," he said, smugly, "sure do."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Oh," he said, "that's just _great!_"

He and Mal looked at each other a moment, and then both burst out laughing.

"Well now," Inara said, as she and the girl, came up to them with their arms loaded with shopping bags, "that's certainly something I didn't expect."

Mal's eyes were bulging at the sight of their bags. "How much did you gals spend?" he asked, his eyebrows nearly knitting together.

The three females rolled their eyes at each other. "Men," they said, at the same time.

Simon and Mal looked at each other and rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Women," they said, at the same time.

Everyone cracked up at that. "So," Inara said, as they began making their way back toward the shuttle, "what have you two been up to? Seriously?"

Again, Mal and Simon just looked at each other. They shrugged.

"Just a little male bonding," Mal answered, wrapping an arm around Simon's shoulders.

Inara's raised an eyebrow at him. "Should I be worried?" she asked, looking at Simon.

He just grinned. "Maybe a little bit," he said, and ducked away from the swat that Mal had aimed for his head.

"Just you wait," Mal promised, "I still intend to shoot you when we get back to the ship."

Simon just grinned. "Sure you do, _Pa," _ he answered, cheekily.

"Pa?" Inara and Kaylee asked, simultaneously.

"Don't ask," River told them, before Mal had a chance to.

Mal and Simon looked at her, and then burst out laughing all over again.

Inara shook her head. "Men," she huffed, and then headed into the shuttle to get it prepped to go. River and Kaylee followed right behind her.

Mal and Simon shrugged, and headed in also.

All in all, it had been a good day.

TBC…


	11. Attitude

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 11: Attitude

Three days passed since their little shopping trip on Boreos, and one of the youngest members of the crew had become somewhat waspish. Simon had become withdrawn, hardly speaking, and only answered things when directly asked to do something. Mal wasn't sure what was going on the kid, but he intended to find out soon.

"Catch me if you can!" River called back over her shoulder to Kaylee as she raced up a set of stairs.

"Yaw can't run forever," Kaylee taunted back. "I'm gonna catch yaw in a minute and then you're gonna be sorry!"

River laughed, continued to run. These last few days, she and the other de-aged girl had been bonding remarkably well. They had been good friends before the "incident" occurred, but now they were becoming something more…something a kin to sisters. Everyone had noticed, especially Simon.

Speaking of Simon…he was currently in the infirmary _trying_ to get some work done. Squeals once more interrupted him, and the sound of running feet alerted him to the fact that his two "sisters" were busy playing. Again!

"Simon!" River squealed, running into the infirmary. "Save me!"

Simon looked up, annoyed. "Not now, River," he told her. "I'm busy."

River ignored him, and ran around the examining table. Kaylee dashed into the infirmary a second later and the two of them played a cat-n-mouse game around the table.

"C'mon, Simon," Kaylee suggested, smiling at her boyfriend-turned-brother. "You hold her and I'll tickle her!"

"No!" River called out. "You hold _her_ and I'll do the tickling." She moved to go around the table again, only her arm was too close to the counter and caused a pan of medical equipment to come crashing down on the floor.

River and Kaylee screamed, but then both began giggling. Simon, however, wasn't amused.

Swearing, he swirled around and glared at the two girls. "Don't the two of you have anything better to do than mess up my infirmary!" he snarled at them. "You do have jobs, you know. River, why aren't you flying the ship? And Kaylee…something on this rust bucket _must_ need fixing!?"

"C'mon, Simon," Kaylee said, "we were just havin' a bit a fun."

"Fun, Kaylee?" Simon asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You were acting like five year olds!"

"We're kids," River told him. "Kids have fun."

"Not all kids," Simon told her, glaring. "You two have been running around "playing" for the last two days and I think it's high time you come out of "dreamland" and just grow up."

"Hey now, what's goin' on in here?" Mal asked, stepping into the room. "I could hear yaw yellin' all the way up on the bridge."

Simon snorted. "Nothing's going on," he growled. "I'd just like a little peace and quiet so I can do my job. These two 'kids" here keep interrupting me."

"At least we're actually tryin' to have some fun," Kaylee said, angry. "You just stay holed up in this stinkin' infirmary or in your room all the time!"

"So what?" Simon threw back at her. "I'm trying to be an adult about this situation."

"You're not an adult anymore!" Kaylee yelled, tears in her eyes. She then went running out past Mal.

River sighed, glaring at her brother. "It was just a game, Simon," she told him. "You didn't mind us playing games before."

Simon glared back at her. "Things are different now," he told her, quietly.

"No, Simon," she told him, her eyes distant. "We're different now." With that, she turned and left the infirmary.

Mal watched her go and then turned back to Simon. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked the boy, raising an eyebrow at him.

Simon turned back around to where he was cleaning some of his equipment. "Not really," he said, sullenly. "I just want to be left alone."

"I've left yaw alone for the last three days," Mal said, "and now I think we need to talk. What's botherin', son?"

Simon snorted. "What do you think?" he threw back at him, sarcastically. "I've been turned into a twelve year old, my girlfriend is now my sister, and my little sister might as well be my twin sister now that we're the same age, and everybody just expects me to "handle" it."

"Yeah, we do," Mal told him, bluntly, "because like it or not, this is how things are now. You can either keep fightin' it, or you can adapt to it."

Simon swirled around to face him. "What if I don't _want_ to adapt to it, huh?" he growled, angrily. "What if I just want to sulk, complain, and be miserable for the rest of my life, huh!?"

Mal just stared at him. "I ain't gonna let that happen, son," he told him, firmly, "and you know that."

"I'm not your son!" Simon yelled at him, resisting the urge to hurl something at the man's head. "I just want you to leave me the hell alone!"

Mal sighed. "No," he told him, "I ain't gonna do that, either."

"Why the hell not?" Simon threw at him, sulkingly.

"Becaue whether you like it or not," Mal told him, "I'm the closest thing to a pa you've got right now and I ain't about to let you carry on like this. Yeah, what was done to you was awful, Simon, but you aren't the only one it was done to. Kaylee and River were de-aged the same as you, yet do you see them not livin'? Do you see them yelling or throwing a tantrum? Do you see them sulking like a brat or coping an attitude?"

"I..." Simon started to say, but was cut off.

"No, yaw don't," Mal answered his own questions. "They're tryin' to make the best of a bad situation and maybe get a little good out of it, too."

Simon glared, his lips close to pouting. "Just leave me alone, Mal," he said, "and get the hell out of my infirmary."

Mal's eyes narrowed. "No," he said, crossing the distance between them, "I think what I _am_ gonna do is give you a little attitude adjustment and _then_ maybe you'll tell me what's really botherin' yaw."

"W-What are you doing?" Simon asked, as the man grabbed him by the collar.

"Giving you want you need, son," Mal told him, and dragged him from the infirmary towards his bedroom.

"Just giving you what you need."

TBC…


	12. Attitude Adjustment

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

(This chapter contains CP. Read at your own risk.)

Chapter 12: Attitude Adjustment

Mal half carried, half dragged Simon toward his quarters.

"C'mon, Mal," Simon said, trying to pull loose. "This isn't funny!"

Mal stopped and looked down at the kid. "It ain't meant to be funny," he told him, and then continued toward their destination.

Simon followed, having no choice, but thinking of the things he was could to tell the captain the moment the man let him go. None of them were even remotely flattering…

Once in the boy's room, Mal let him go and pointed to the bed. "Sit," he ordered, firmly.

Simon glared at him, crossing his arms. "You have no right to treat me like this," he told him, sullenly.

Mal raised an eyebrow. "All righty then," he said, sighing. "I guess we'll save the talk for after." He grabbed a hold of the boy's collar and pulled him toward the bed, where he promptly sat down.

"After what?" Simon asked, his heart leaping in his throat. Surely the man didn't intend to…

"After your attitude adjustment," Mal told him, pulling him closer.

Simon let out a squeak, mentally cursing his pre-puberty vocal cords, as his pants were undone and promptly lowered past his hips. "What do are you doing?!" he exclaimed, his face turning beat red.

Mal rolled his eyes. "Where I'm from," he told him, "when twelve year old young'uns like yourself cope an attitude like the one you've had ever since Boreos then they get what's called a lickin' and believe me you've earned this one, son." He then yanked and pulled the boy down across his lap.

Simon grunted as his stomach connected with the man's hard knees. No! This could so not be happening. He let out another squeak when he felt Mal grab the waistband of his underwear and yank them down as well, exposing his backside to the man. His face turned even redder.

Mal smirked. "It ain't like I haven't seen your naked fanny before," he told him, amused at the boy's embarrassment.

"Please," Simon squeaked out, "don't do this!"

Mal sighed. "I'm sorry, Simon," he told him, "but this is going to happen so you might as well prepare yourself." He raised his hand back, and then let it come down hard across the kid's exposed bottom.

_**SMACK!**_

Simon yelped at that smack sent a very uncomfortable sting into his rear end. He bit his lip, determined to take this humiliation like the man he was.

_**SMACK! SMACK!**_

Two more swats landed, the sting increased. He bit his lip harder.

_**SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!**_

The sting quickly turned into a warming sensation, spreading across both his butt cheeks rapidly. Tears began to sting his eyes, but he'd be dd if he let Mal know he was getting to him.

_**SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!**_

Gorramnit! Why wasn't the man saying anything? At least then he'd have something to focus on besides the now burning in his bum!

_**SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!**_

His backside felt like it was being slowly roasted! Tears were streaming down his face, and he couldn't take anymore!

"Stop! Please, Captain," he begged, "just stop! I-I'll talk to you, I promise."

Mal paused with his hand in mid-air. "You promise to quit this actin' like a brat and start talkin' to me about what's botherin' yaw?" he asked, sternly.

Simon nodded. He'd agree to anything if it meant the man would stop! "I promise," he whimpered, sniffing.

Mal nodded. "Good," he said, and then brought his hand down one last time.

_**SMACK!**_

That last swat undid Simon, who started bawling like a baby. Great gulping sobs came out of him and his chest and shoulders heaved from the strain of trying to stop them.

Mal quickly let the lad up off his lap, not even bothering to fix his pants and underwear, and pulled him next to him. He remembered from his own childhood, his ma or which ever hand had dealt the lickin' at the time would always do this with him. The lickin' had been to remind him that their were consequences, but that didn't mean that the one doin' it stopped carin' about him. He knew it was important to do the same with Simon.

He held him close, stroking his back and whispering comforting words into his ear. Once his crying lessened a bit, he pulled him back so that they were looking him in the eye.

"Yaw got every right to be upset 'bout this, Simon," he told the boy, "but what yaw don't have the right to do is take it out on us. Understand?"

Simon nodded; reaching up to rub his tear stained face. He glanced down and saw that his pants and underwear were still on the floor. Oddly enough, at the moment, he didn't care.

"I'm sorry," he told the captain, sincerely. "I-I just don't know how I'm supposed to handle this. Am I twelve or am I an adult? There are times when I feel like one and then the other."

Mal nodded, understanding. "I know," he said, "so why don't you try and find a balance."

Simon looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well," Mal explained, "why don't you at least _try_ to play with River and Kaylee when their playing…"

"They play all the time," Simon complained.

"Not all the time," he told him, smirking. "River does pilot the ship and Kaylee fixes things when they need fixin'. At those times, if you look, yaw'll see that they are actin' like their old selves—well, Kaylee anyway, since River ain't changed that much—it's in-between those times that they allow themselves to be kids. That's what you have to do, Simon. When there's doctorin' that needs done, _that's_ when you act like the adult yaw used. When there ain't…" He shrugged.

"Let myself be a kid," Simon finished for him.

Mal smiled. "Exactly," he said, smugly. "Yaw've carried the wait of the whole 'verse around on yer shoulders for so many years, son, that yaw don't know how to let it go. Yaw told me yerself that yer childhood sucked, so here's yer chance to change that. Too many folks _wish_ they could relive theirs, but you, River, and Kaylee actually get to. Enjoy it."

Simon nodded. "All right," he said, "I'll try."

"That's my boy," Mal said, smirking. "Now, let's cover that fanny of yers afore yaw die of embarrassment." He reached down and pulled the boy's underwear and pants back into place.

Simon hissed as the material touched his sore butt, and reached back to rub it. "That hurt," he grumbled, pouting a little bit.

Mal chuckled. "That was the point," he told him, grinning. "Now yaw'll think before yaw go flying off the handle like yaw did. By the way—yaw do know you owe Kaylee an apology, don't yaw?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah," he said, quietly.

Mal stood up and patted him on the back. He reached out and lifted his chin. "I know I ain't really yer pa, Simon," he told him, "but I'm certainly gonna try and be the best sorta-pa you, Kaylee, and River need. That includes lickin' yaw when yaw mess up."

Simon grinned. "That sound unsanitary," he said, smiling.

Mal smiled too. "And hear I thought yaw didn't have a sense of humor," he said, ruffling the boy's hair.

Simon glared at him for that. "I lost it when I got older," he told him, fixing his hair back into place.

"Uh huh," Mal said, smirking. "C'mon, I gotta go relieve Zoë at the helm and you got a sorta-sister to apologize to."

Simon nodded and followed him up. He still wasn't sure how he was going to deal with this being a kid again, but he knew one thing…

Mal had one very hard hand.

_Ouch!_

TBC…


	13. Helping Out

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 13: Helping Out

Over the next week, things settled aboard _Serenity_…more or less. Jayne still griped and complained, Zoe remained quiet and distant, Mal was still a hard-ass, and Inara called him on it. Kaylee continued to repair the ship, her mechanical mind unaffected by the change, and River piloted her.

Simon, taking Mal's "talk" with him to heart, began to lighten up a bit more and actually started joining in the games the girls played. Unfortunately, because they hadn't had any jobs, there had been no need for his medical skills and he was beginning to feel a bit useless around the ship.

"I feel like dead weight," he admitted to Inara. "I mean, everybody has something to do except me…even Jayne can cook!"

Inara smiled. "So you're saying you _want_ somebody to get hurt?" she asked, teasingly.

Simon smiled. "No, of course not," he said, feeling sheepish, "it's just…" He shrugged, not sure how to put what he was feeling into words.

"You're getting antsy," Mal spoke, coming into the shuttle and startling them both.

Inara crossed her arms and glared at him. "There is such a thing as knocking, Captain," she reminded him, scowling.

Mal raised an eyebrow at her. "So it's Captain now, is it?" he asked, smirking.

She rolled her eyes at him. "When you're being your usual annoying self it is," she told him, "now what did you want?"

"Simon," he told her, nodding his head at the boy. "He's gonna help me with a job."

"I'm what?!" Simon asked, shocked. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

Mal looked at him. "Do I look like I'm foolin' here?" he asked, seriously.

"Mal," Inara said, "what could possibly be in that head of yours? He's twelve years old now!"

"No, really?" Mal asked, rolling his eyes. "I never would have known that."

Inara glared daggers at him. "Get out," she growled, furious. She pointed back over his shoulder towards the shuttle door.

Mal smirked. "Whatever you say, darling," he said, gesturing toward Simon. "C'mon, Simon."

Simon gulped, but got up and followed after him. "How exactly am I supposed to help with a job?" he asked, hesitantly. "As you so aptly put it a few days ago, I am a kid now."

"Precisely," Mal said, "and you're innocent looking face I need. See, you and I are sort of the distractions while Zoë and Jayne pull off the job."

Simon stopped and stared. "I don't understand," he said, confused. "How are you and I going to be distractions?"

"Well," Mal said, "see the guy we're pulling the job on is going to be at this father-son...thing…with his twelve year old son. You and I are going to crash it and keep him talking while…"

"While Jayne and Zoë steal whatever it is their going to be stealing," Simon finished for him. "Right?"

"Hit the nail right on the head," Mal said, patting him on the head. "You up for it, son?"

Simon rolled his eyes. "Great," he said, "so if you get caught, I go down with you."

Mal chuckled. "I knew you'd love the idea," he said, shaking his shoulder a bit. "C'mon, we'll be landing on Isis any minute now. We've gotta get the mule prepped and ready."

Simon started following him down to the cargo hold. "Do you honestly expect us to pass as father and son?" he asked. "I mean, I'm…well…and you're…uh…you know!"

Mal stopped on the stairs and turned to look at him. He smirked. "I think we can pull off a father-son relationship just fine," he said. "How hard can it be?"

Simon raised an eyebrow at him. "You didn't have a father," he reminded him, "and my own father was hardly there when I was twelve the first time…not to mention he disinherited me because I made him look bad in front of his snooty friends. Our track record at getting along isn't that great and…well, I'm not your son!"

"Really?" Mal asked. "Don't we argue constantly about who gives the orders on this boat?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah," he answered. They did do that.

"Don't we argue over your sister and Kaylee?" Mal asked, next.

Simon nodded, again. "Yeah," he answered again.

"Didn't I give you a lickin' the other day for being disrespectful?" Mal asked a third time.

Simon winced. "Yes," he said, remembering that day vividly. His behind still stung, in fact.

Mal smiled. "See," he said, "we already have the whole father-son dynamic worked out. We'll do just fine. Now c'mon and help me get the mule prepped." With that, he turned and head on down into the cargo bay.

Simon just stood staring after him, but then sighed. He _had_ wanted to feel useful, so here was his chance.

_I hope we can pull this off._

TBC…


	14. Defending Pa

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 14: Defending "Pa"

"A Fencing Tournament!" Simon exclaimed, indignant. "You didn't mention that this "father/son" event was a fencing tournament for fathers and sons!"

They were on the planet Isis, headed for the so-called "father-son" thing that the man they were 'relieving' from was going to be at.

Mal shrugged. "You didn't ask," he said, smirking. "C'mon, Simon, it won't be so bad."

Simon snorted. "This from a man," he said, sarcastically, "who didn't know one end of a sword from the other until he got challenged to a duel, and only won by being sneaky!"

Mal just shrugged again. "Whatever works, kid," he said, nonplussed. "Besides, you have to had a little fencing training in one of those fancy schools you went to, right?"

"Yeah," Simon admitted, reluctantly, "but I didn't do very well! I wanted to be a doctor and help people, not hack them in two!"

Mal chuckled. "It's not that duel I had," he said. "It's just a group of fellas and their kids havin' a bit of fun."

"That's easy for you to say," Simon told him. "You're just a spectator."

"Then I guess you'd best be making' me proud," he told him, clapping him on the shoulder. "I want braggin' rights."

Simon glared at him. "Sure you do," he grumbled. "You get to seat in the stands and boast about your butt off, while I have to actually fight!"

"It's just 'til Zoë and Jayne get the job done," he assured him. "The moment I hear from 'em, we're out of there."

"I still don't get why we had to come early," Simon said. "You told me the competition wasn't until noon. It's only ten o'clock now."

"They're having some kind of get-together for the pas and their sons," Mal told him, turning a corner and heading for a large arena type building.

"Great," Simon said, "my opponents can get to know me _before_ they whip my ass."

"Hey now," Mal said, cuffing him on the head, "no talk like that. If there's gonna be any ass whippin' done, it'll be done by me and that's only if you start a scene and get us busted."

"Yes, I know," Simon said, remembering the lecture he'd received before they left Serenity. "I'm to be on my best behavior and I'm to act like a good little boy. Just out of curiosity, who's going to whip your butt if _you_ cause a scene and get us busted."

"Inara," Mal told him, smirking, "and she'll let me have it with both barrels you can be sure if I don't bring you back in one piece. Now, just mind those fancy manners your ma and pa drilled into you and everything will be okay. I think that's it." He pointed to a room where several men and boys were gathering.

Inside the room, men of varying ages—though most appeared to be around Mal's age—and boys ranging from twelve to seventeen were inside mingling and chatting. It was obvious that many of the men were close friend, and just as obvious their sons were rivals.

"You go mingle with the kiddies," Mal instructed Simon, "while I go see if I can find our mark."

"Don't you mean victim?" Simon asked, smiling.

Mal glowered at him. "Mind yourself, mister," he warned him. "Unless you'd like to eat your supper standing up."

Simon just smirked. "Sure, Pa," he said, "whatever you say."

Mal just shook his head. "Go on," he said, "scoot." He gave him a shove in the direction of the boys—who had all seemed to gather on one side of the room while their father's gathered on the other.

Mal grabbed a glass of champagne from a table and went to stand with a group of men. "Howdy," he greeted them, smiling, "fine day for fencin' ain't it?"

Simon shuffled into the throng of boys, more than a little weary about this plan. He had never interacted well with others of his sex, or the opposite sex for that matter, but especially not when he'd been twelve. Bookish and prone to solitude—except for the times he spent with River, of course—other boys had always looked at him as a sort of nerd or outcast. He had a feeling these boys would be no different.

"So," one boy was saying to another, "who do you think will win."

The other boy grinned. "I will, of course," he said, arrogantly.

"In our division maybe," the other said, "but certainly not overall. I mean, really win?"

The other shrugged. "Probably Paolo," he said, nodding toward a tall lad of about sixteen. "His father's the wealthiest and he's been fencing since he was old enough to hold a blade."

"True," the other agreed, "but there are a lot of others here that are from off-world. One of them might be able to give him a run for his money."

The other snorted. "Not from what I've seen," he said, sneeringly. "If half of them are like that poor fellow over there, then their as dumber than rocks." He pointed toward a group of fathers.

Simon followed his gaze, and was surprised to see that he was pointing right at Mal.

"Why do you say that?" his friend asked, curious.

"I mean, look at his outfit," the other replied. "It looks like he got it off a dead Brown coat or something, not to mention I heard him talking just now to my dad and he actually said "howdy". If he isn't a backwater bumpkin, I don't know what is." He laughed at this and so did his friend.

Simon scowled. Okay, it was one thing for _him_ to insult Mal, he actually knew him, but for two strange _boys_ to do it didn't set well with him.

"If the dad's that bad," the boy's friend said, "can you imagine what the son must be like. He probably doesn't even know which end of a fencing blade to hold!"

_Okay, that does it. _

"Excuse me," he said, tapping the one boy on the shoulder.

They both turned to look at him, a snide look on both their faces. That mad him angry.

Before he even really realized it, he hauled back and punched one in the face and then the other. Before he knew it, they had both jumped back up and tackled him. The fight was on!

Unfortunately, it was two to one and the odds weren't in his favor. They probably would have pummeled him senseless if an official type hadn't come along to break it up. "You three," he ordered, once the three combatants had been separated, "are disqualified from the tournament. Where are you fathers?"

"Here they are, Sir," another official said, coming up followed by Mal and two other men. One of whom, Simon recognized, as the man they had been supposed to be distracting.

_Uh-oh._

Now that his son was disqualified, they would probably go straight home from here. That meant that Zoë and Jayne ran the risk of being caught, and it was all his fault.

He looked at Mal, who didn't look at all happy at the moment.

_Great, _he thought, _my ass is as good as grass._

TBC…


	15. Correcting a Mistake

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

(There is a spanking scene in this chapter. You've been warned.)

Chapter 15: Correcting a Mistake

Mal and Simon rushed back to _Serenity_ as quickly as the could. Upon entering, Zoë and Jayne met them. The former looked worried and the later annoyed.

Simon had both expressions on his face. Mal just looked plain pissed off.

"We had to scrub the job, Sir," Zoë told him. "The mark came back too soon."

"Yeah," Mal said, glancing down at Simon, "I know."

Simon gulped. Okay, so maybe attempting to be the 'rough-n-tumble' guy for once hadn't been his most brilliant idea.

"I said I was sorry," he told the captain, sighing.

Mal snorted. "Not as sorry as yer gonna be," he threatened darkly. "Go on to your room and stay there 'til you're called for. Zoë, Jayne, you two come with me. We got a mistake to correct." With that, he turned and headed for the ramp.

"He's just mad because the job didn't go as planned," River's voice sounded from behind him. "He doesn't mean to be mean."

Simon looked at his sister. "Tell that to my butt when he gets done with it," he growled at her.

River grinned. "You really shouldn't have hit those boys," she told him. "Mal could care less what a pair of puppies thinks of him."

"I didn't do it for Mal," Simon growled, annoyed at the all-knowing tone he heard in her voice.

River raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't you?" she asked, turning and headed back up the stairs.

Simon watched her go, annoyed for reasons he couldn't explain. Sighing, he slowly made his way to his bunk and lay on his bed…waiting for the inevitable to occur.

Mal, Jayne, and Zoë were in luck as they reached their targets home, as he and his son were heading out once more. Mal noticed the 'tail between his legs' look the boy had on his face—not to mention the slightly awkward way he walked—and grinned.

_Looks like someone got his fanny busted…_

That only reminded him of what he was going to have to do once they were finished up here.

_Kid's got it coming, _he told himself, _but that don't mean I have to like it._

While he was furious with Simon for messing things up for this job, the reasons behind the normally none violent boy getting into a fist fight touched his heart far more than he would care to admit. Since coming aboard, it had been no secret that he and the young doctor had been at odds many times…and even come to blows…but ever since the kid became an actual _kid _things had been changing between them and for the better.

_Is this what it feels like to be a pa?_

He had no idea, and he had never thought he'd care one way or the other. Young'uns had always made him nervous, and with his lifestyle he never thought to marry and have them anyway. Now though, he seemed to have acquired two daughters and a son and that was making him think a lot more than usual.

"Sir?" Zoë asked, breaking into his thoughts. "Do we go ahead with the job?"

She and Jayne had been waiting for him to give them to signal and had been waiting expectantly for several moments.

Shaking his head to clear it of any thoughts but of the job ahead, he nodded. "You and me go in," he told his second. "Jayne stays here and keeps look out. We get in, get out, and back to the ship. Got it?"

The two nodded. He nodded back, and then with Zoë began to creep toward the backside of the house. They found the spot that had been designated as their entry, got in, and hurried to the location they benefactor had given them for the item they were supposed to procure.

For once, no hitches occurred, and they were able to get out and back to the ship without incident. After setting Jayne the task of stashing the item in the secret hold they kept for such things, Mal and Zoë made their way to the cockpit—where River was waiting to take the ship into orbit.

"Change of plans, little'un," he informed the twelve year old Reader. "Zoë's gonna take the helm. I want you to go find Kaylee and the two of you start supper."

The girl nodded, hopping up from the pilot's chair so that his second could hop into it. She started for the door, and he decided to follow her.

"He was only defending your honor," she told him, as she walked beside him.

Glancing down, he saw her gazing at him out of the corner's of her brown eyes. He also knew what she was referring to. "Maybe so," he told her, "but he was told to keep quiet and not raise a fuss. He didn't, so now he gonna take a lickin' for it."

"You mean more to him than he lets on, you know," River told him, sounding much older than even her original seventeen years. "When he thinks of our father now, you are the one he sees—not Gabriel."

Mal smirked at that. "Thanks for telling me," he said, "but he's still gonna get a lickin'."

River giggled. "I've fought before," she reminded him, smirking.

Mal raised an eyebrow. "The last time two times you were in life or death situations trying to save other people's lives," he told her, "and that first time wasn't your fault. You were triggered."

"You were scared of me," she said, quietly.

Mal smiled. "Darlin'," he told her, "anybody who can take down a whole pack of Reavers with nothing but her bare hands and feet would make even a tough Alliance operative shake in his boots."

"You're not scared of me now," she told him, confidently.

"Nope," he told her, smugly. "Cuz the next time you decide to act up, you'll be getting' what Simon about to."

"You'd do that to me and Kaylee?" she asked him, though she already knew the answer.

"I might not like doin' it, River," he told her, "but if I thought you or her were deservin' of one, then yes you'd take a lickin' from me."

River smiled. "Good," she said.

Mal chuckled. "I don't think your brother would agree with you right now," he told her, "and neither would you were you on the receiving' end of one."

She nodded. "Maybe so," she said, "but at least we know you love us."

That startled him, because he realized in that moment how much he really did _love_ his three hellions. Kneeling down, he pulled her into a hug, "Thank you, baby."

"You're welcome," River replied, returning his hug. "Now go lick Simon."

He chuckled, standing by up. "And you go do as you were told, little miss," he said, turning her around and sending her on her way with a light smack to her bottom.

Smiling, she headed toward the engine room, knowing that was where Kaylee was.

Mal turned to look at the hatch that leads him down into Simon and River's suite. Sighing, opened the hatch and scaled down the ladder.

_Time to pay the piper, son…_

Simon heard the hatch open, heard the booted feet hit the metal floor outside his room, and sighed.

_Time to pay the piper, as they say._

He sat up as the door opened and Mal entered. The man stared at him a moment, and then crossed over and sat down beside him on the bed.

"Hey there," he said, sounding much calmer than he had when he left earlier.

Despite the fact he knew he was about to get his butt busted, Simon couldn't help but smile. Somehow, only Mal could make him feel comfortable at a time like this.

"Hey," he replied. "Did it go okay."

Mal nodded. "Yep," he told him. "We got what we were told to get and got out without any incident. We're headin' for the pickup even now."

Simon nodded. "Good," he said, and then fell silent.

Mal sighed. "Look, Simon," he told him, "I ain't upset about the fight—I'd be a hypocrite if I were—and believe me, son, it means a lot that you'd be willin' to come to blows 'cause a pair of upstart brats said something about me. What upset me is that I specifically told you to not start trouble and you did it, anyway. We're really low on supplies and if we'd messed up this job…"

"I know," Simon said, feeling extremely guilty, "and I really don't know what came over me. It's just, well, when those two idiots started insulting you it crawled all over me for some reason."

Mal nodded. "I know what you mean," he told him, "just ask Zoë how I feel about U-day and she'll probably tell you some not-too-flattering stories about me. Sometimes, when we care about something—or someone—a lot we can't help what we do." He looked down at the boy, gauging his reaction.

Simon's eyes went wide and he looked down at the floor. "I-I do care about you," he whispered, almost breathlessly.

Mal grinned, reached over and pulled his chin up, and asked, "I didn't quite hear that?"

Simon gulped. "I said," he told him, "that I…_love _you, all right. That's why I did what I did. You've taken me and River in when other people would have turned us over to the Alliance for the reward the moment they found out about us. Now that were kids again, you've become…more a father to us than our own father ever was."

Mal smiled. "I love you too, Simon," he told him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and giving it a squeeze. "I love you, River, and Kaylee as if you were my own young'uns and I guess in a way you are now. Like I said, I don't know the first thing about being a pa, but…I'm gonna give it my best shot to be a good father."

Simon nodded, blinking back tears. "I-I guess that includes…you know…when we do something stupid, huh?" he asked, smirking.

Mal grinned. "You better believe it," he told him. "All right, son, let's get this over with."

Simon sighed. _Show time…_

Mal gently pulled him across his lap, bared his bottom, and began the spanking.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!_

Those first five smacks were delivered in rapid succession, leaving nothing more than a sting.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!_

These five were given a bit slower, allowing time for the sting of one swat to set in, and caused his bottom to smart something fierce.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!_

His bottom was very warm now and despite himself tears had begun to leak from his eyes.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!_

Okay, now he was hurting! His bottom felt like it was on fire and the tears were falling freely now.

"Almost through," Mal said, raising his hand back one last time.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!_

These last five delivered, he examined the red bottom to determine no permanent damage done, fixed the boy's clothes, and set him on his own two feet again. He then pulled him into a crushing hug and he felt like crying himself when the boy returned his hug whole-heartedly.

He let him cry on his shoulder until no more tears flowed, and then looked at him. "You think you might feel up to playin' a bit after supper?" he asked him, curious.

Simon looked puzzled. "I guess," he said, wiping the last of the tear stains from his face, "why?"

Mal smirked. "Cause, tonight I feel like spending time with my young'uns," he told him, standing up. "I figured you and me against Kaylee and River in a game of bay ball." He was referring to the basket ball type game that the crew played in the cargo bay—thus the name, bay ball.

Simon bit his lip. "I've never played before," he admittd, sheepishly.

"That's all right, son," Mal told him, patting him on the back. "I'll teach ya everything you need to know."

"River'll already know who's going to win," he told him, smirking.

Mal shrugged. "Just 'cause she knows," he told him, "don't mean we can't still play. So, what do you say?"

Simon smiled. "Sure," he said. "It's not like I have anything better to do except stand up."

Mal laughed at that. "There's the spirit," he said, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Supper should be ready soon. I'll call for you."

Simon nodded, and he headed up.

As he climbed up the ladder, he felt in a surprisingly good mood. As he made his way towards the galley to check on supper's progress, he ran into Inara. Before the woman could say anything to him, he pulled her close and planted a nice long kiss on her lips.

"What was that for?" she asked, breathless once she'd been released.

Mal just shrugged. "Just showin' ya how I feel, darlin'," he told her, and then whistling headed on towards the galley.

Inara smiled at his retreating back. _I love you too, petty thief._

TBC…


	16. Deception Becomes Tragedy

Firefly

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

(AN—MAJOR tissue warning! Main Character Death! Be Prepared.)

Chapter 16: Deception Becomes Tragedy

Over the next three days, things on _Serenity_ were very pleasant—something that Mal would later see as the calm before the storm—and its captain and crew enjoyed themselves immensely.

Mal and Inara spent a great deal of time together 'talking', much to the amusement of the rest of the crew, and he spent a lot more time with the 'kids', too. He and Simon played chess, something that surprised the boy; he and Kaylee tinkered with the ship or prepared meals together, quiet things that allowed them time together to just talk. He and River took turns at the helm, the other acting as navigator while the other piloted, and while not much was said between them a closeness that had always seemed to be between them strengthened.

It was very nice…and, sadly, it was all about to go to Hell in a handbasket.

The drop off for the 'package' they had procured for their 'client' turned out to be Persephone…something that raised Mal's hackles instantly.

"Think we should change the drop off?" Zoë asked him, sensing his nervousness and sharing it.

He frowned, but shook his head. "No," he said, "as far as we know everything's on the up and up. You and me will go to the drop off point. Jayne will stay with Inara and the kids to guard the ship."

She nodded. "I'll go get the mule ready," she told him, and turned to head to the cargo bay.

He nodded. "Land her real easy, Lil' Albatross," he told River, gently.

The girl nodded. "Of course," she said, smiling.

He grinned back, and turned to head out to have a quick word with Jayne.

"Shadows press near," River's voice had him halting in his tracks. "They draw close, waiting…"

"Say what?" he asked her, puzzled. His hackles were raised even more now.

She looked at him, her deep brown eyes intense. "Be careful," she said. "Be wary."

He nodded. "I always am, darling," he told her, patting her head. "I always am." However, he still couldn't quite shake the bad feeling he suddenly possessed.

He was already too far out of hearing distance when River said, "You'll be too late."

He found Jayne coming out of his quarters. "A word, Jayne," he told the merc, stopping him. "You'll be staying behind to guard the ship."

Jayne made to protest. "I ain't no babysitter!" he complained.

Mal's eyes took on a dangerous glint and he reached out and grabbed the merc by the collar. "You are if I tell you so," he growled at him. "Anything happens to Inara or the kids while me and Zoë are gone, and you'll be begging me to do to yaw what I did after Ariel. We understand each other?"

Jayne's eyes had gotten wide. A mercenary he might be, but he was still as afraid of dying as the next poor coward out there. He remembered all too well how close to being sucked out of the air lock after he'd turned Simon and River in to the Alliance on the planet Ariel. He certainly didn't want a repeat…or worse.

"Y-yeah, Mal," he stuttered. "I understand."

Mal released him. "Good," he said. "As soon as we're landed, me and Zoe are going to head out." He then turned and headed for the cargo bay.

They landed a few minutes later. The kids and Jayne all gathered to see them off at the gangplank. "No leaving the ship," he told them, glaring sternly at the three kids. "I find out you have and I'm gonna tan all your backsides with my belt when I get back—that goes for you, too." This last had been directed at Jayne, who turned beat red and nodded.

Then they were gone, heading in the direction of the drop off.

"C'mon," Jayne growled at Simon, River, and Kaylee, "I ain't about to get my ass blistered so you three get yours in—" He never got the chance to finish, as a large dart suddenly protruded from his neck. His eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

Before any of the kids could react, River found a similar dart piercing her and she followed the mercenary into unconsciousness. Simon and Kaylee knelt down beside them, both unable to move for fear of being shot. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a group of heavily armed men surrounded them.

"W-Who are you?" Simon asked, his eyes wide as he cradled his sister in his arms. "W-What do you want?"

"I believe I can answer that," a voice behind the armed men stated. A well dressed man stepped forward, smiling.

Simon's eyes widened at the sight of him. "Dad!" he exclaimed, standing. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to get you, son," Gabriel Tam told his son. "We're going home."

Simon glared. "You disowned me, remember?" he growled. "I don't have a home with you, anymore."

Gabriel smile faltered a bit. "I see living among these barbarians has dulled your manners considerably, boy," he said. "You would never have spoken so disrespectfully before. We'll have to work on that."

"What do you mean?" Simon asked him, glaring. "How did you know where we'd be?"

Gabriel grinned. "Who do you think 'hired' that mongrel Reynolds to 'acquire' that stupid little trinket he stole?" he asked, sneeringly.

Simon's eyes widened. "It was a trick," he hissed, angry.

"Of course it was a trick, son," the older Tam said, snorting. "I knew it get him away long enough to collect you."

"Why the men then?" Simon asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm no fool, Simon," Gabriel growled. "I knew that Reynolds wouldn't live you unguarded and I certainly wasn't going to take any chances with your sister."

"So," Simon growled, "you _did_ know about River's abilities."

The older man snorted. "Of course I knew," he growled. "Your sister always knew too much she shouldn't for my taste. When the Alliance offered to take her off my hands, I gladly accepted."

His words stopped Simon cold. "You don't care about her at all, do you?" he said, blinking back tears. "She's nothing more to you than a bargaining chip?"

Gabriel sighed. "You were the only one that ever mattered, boy," he told him. "My son and heir. If it had not been for your mother wanting a little girl, we'd have stopped with you. If I had been thinking clearly back then, that would have been what we'd have done."

"What is mom going to say?" Simon asked, sneeringly. "When you return with me, but not her."

"Your mother's dead," Gabriel told him, coldly. "She's not a problem anymore."

Simon felt grief stab his heart. His difficulties with his father aside, he had truly loved his mother. "W-What?" he asked, stunned by this news.

"She couldn't take that her children were outlaws," the man told him. "She overdosed on sleeping pills one night."

Simon gulped, steeling himself. "I'm not going anywhere with _you_," he growled, his jaw setting stubbornly.

Gabriel smiled, menacingly. "Oh, I believe you will," he said, and gestured at one of the men.

That man grabbed Kaylee, wrapping one arm around her throat. The other, the one that held a gun, came up to place the firearm next to her temple. "Get the message, kid?" the man asked, smirking.

Kaylee's eyes widened in horror and fear. "S-Simon," she breathed, unable to say anything else.

Simon's own eyes widened at that and he looked at his father, defeated. "All right," he said, gulping. "I'll go with you….j-just don't hurt Kaylee, River, or Jayen."

Gabriel smiled. "I knew you'd see things my way, son," he told him, pleasantly. "Come along." He gave him a push down the gang plank.

Simon began moving, not sure what he was going to do. Once Mal came back and Kaylee told him what happened, he'd be sure to come looking for him. He smirked. _You'll get yours then, Dad._

"Sir?" one of the armed men said to Gabriel. "What about the girl, Sir? She can I.D. us to Reynolds."

"Not if she's silenced, Corporal," Gabriel told him, coldly. "The dead tell no tales, after all."

The man smirked, evilly. "Aye, sir," he said, and turned back to the ship.

Simon felt himself grow cold. "No!" he screamed, attempting to jerk himself out of his father's hold to run back to the ship.

"Stop it, boy," Gabriel growled, backhanding him sharply across the face so hard that it rendered him unconscious.

As darkness surrounded him, the last thing he heard was the sickening sound of a gun shot being fired.

_Kaylee! Noooooooooooooooooo!_

Mal knew something was terribly wrong. The client hadn't shown up at the meeting place, nor had they heard he'd canceled the meeting. He and Zoe raced back to the ship as fast as they could. What they found, stunned them to the core.

The hold doors were still open. Three bodies lay upon it. River and Jayne appeared to be unconscious, knocked out by a pair of darts lying next to them. But Kaylee…

Kaylee lay, pale and motionless, blood pouring from a bullet wound in her chest. She had been shot at point blank range in the heart. This time, no amount of operating would save her. She was dead before she even hit the ground.

Inara, who had come running at the sound of a gun blast, had been the one to find the three of them. She no cradled Kaylee to her chest, weeping hysterically.

Mal dropped to his knees, his face devoid of all color. "Kaylee," he breathed, feeling the very blood inside him grow as cold as ice, "w-who did this?"

The ice was quickly being melted by the fires of rage.

Inara shook her head. "I-I don't know," she cried. "I-I was in my quarters w-when I heard a gun shot. I came running and found…" She couldn't continue, her grief causing her throat to close. She cradled the child she had loved like a daughter even before she'd been de-aged to her.

Mal swallowed, unable to think or feel. _Not again, and not her!_

"W-Where's Simon?" Zoe, tears streaming down her face, managed to ask.

Again, the former Companion could only shake her head. She didn't know.

"Taken," a voice spoke, and they turned to find River sitting up. "By _him_!"

Mal moved so fast it would have surprised them all if their grief hadn't consumed them all in that moment. He grabbed the young girl by the shoulders and demanded, "Who!?"

"Gabriel," River told him, her eyes taking on a familiar deadly intensity. "Gabriel Tam."

"Your pa?" Mal asked, surprised.

River nodded. "Our sire," she told him, "nothing more. Your our father now."

Mal would have been touched by that if fire and ice didn't war within him at that moment. His only thoughts were of revenge, and reclaiming his stolen child. That bastard had taken one of his kids from him, he'd be damned if he allowed him to take another.

"Where, River?" he asked, staring into the girl's eyes to keep her grounded in the present. "Are they still here?"

River nodded. "They hide," she said, "believing you'd go off world to search."

"Show me?" Mal told her, standing up.

She nodded. "He's mine," she told him, her voice deadly serious.

Mal shook her head. "No, darlin'," he told her. "You can have the others, but that bastard is mine!"

River nodded. "Let's go," she said, and moving with the speed and gracefulness of a young lioness intent on the hunt she began running.

Mal didn't bother leaving any orders. He knew Inara and Zoe would handle the ship…and the others. He had only one thing on his mind.

_Revenge…_

TBC…

(AN—Okay, before you all break out the pitch forks and torches, let me explain. I needed a major catalyst—something totally unexpected—to occur at this point. At first, I considered just having Simon kidnapped, but I knew that wouldn't be enough to drive Mal into a blood fury. I also needed something that would cement the father-son relationship between Mal and Simon permanently. This will do it. A parent who loses a child, grieves yes, but if they have other children they hold onto them so tightly that at times it's almost _too_ tight. Plus, I really wasn't sure what to do with Kaylee to be honest. I had her down-sized because I could not picture Simon as a child and leave her as an adult—given their relationship that would have been cruel. And yes, I know this was cruel also, but it is the one thing that would drive Simon into doing something he would never normally do…as you will see in the next chapter. So, please, be gentle in your reviews and continue to read. Pretty please? Thanks.)


	17. Revenge, Not So Sweet

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 17: Revenge, Not So Sweet

Simon lay on the floor of the cell he had been tossed into, crying the grief and rage of losing Kaylee.

_She's gone, _he whimpered in the depths of his mind, _and it's all my fault!_

Even though he knew it was really Gabriel Tam's doing, he still felt as if her death had been at his hands. He had loved her, she had been the first and only girl he had ever truly loved, and now she was gone. Forever!

The door to the cell opened, revealing the silhouette of a man. Gabriel Tam stepped into the room and shook his head at the sight of his son lying on the floor like some animal, moaning over a stupid mongrel bitch.

"Come now, son," he told the boy, harshly, "enough of this foolishness. Grow a backbone, and get over it. The little wench is gone, and once your old enough again I promise I'll find you a nice, _aristocrat_ to have your way with."

Simon growled and glared up at the man that had sired him. He disgusted him. He hated him.

"Get out of here, you bastard," he snarled. "I hate you!"

Gabriel sighed. "Very well, son," he said, completely disgusted, "but this behavior had better change by the time we reach Osiris otherwise they'll be hell to pay." He turned and left, the door closed behind him.

Simon felt drained, the spurt of energy his anger had given him was gone, and so he laid back down.

_Mal, Pa please hurry!_

Pa? Where had that come from? When had he began to think of the captain as that, not just for show but for real?

_Oh yeah, when the bastard I called 'Dad' for twenty-one years killed my girlfriend. That's when._

At the moment he didn't care, he just wanted the man he had come to respect…and yes, love…as a father to come and get him. He wanted to go home, even if that home no longer had the light that was Kaylee within it.

_Please, hurry!_

Little did Simon know but Mal _was_ coming, along with River.

River didn't _speak_. River didn't _think_. River didn't _feel._ She was totally lost in her rage.

She was the weapon, pure and simple.

Mal followed behind her, his face as intense as her own.

She led him to the warehouse Gabriel Tam and his lackies were hiding…with Simon.

_All right, you bastard. You took one of my kids from me today, you're not taking my only boy, too._

He drew his pistol, but then holstered it again. He smirked, he'd let River lead the way.

They entered to find a group of men sitting around. They had apparently been caught off guard, but that wouldn't have mattered. Not with River in total death mode.

The girl moved with a speed and grace of the fiercest cat, a tigress going for the kill. She dispatched one man after another with brutal efficiency, and he didn't have to do a single thing. The six or seven men were all dead within moments, and the girl kept right on going.

He knew he should have been worried about this, but he really wasn't. He knew the part of River that was the girl was buried at the moment, that this really wouldn't affect her conscious mind any.

She was the weapon at the moment, and weapons killed. He followed, waiting for the right moment to leave her to find the one _he _to dispatch: Gabriel Tam.

At a pair of doors, she stopped. "What is it?" he asked, sensing her hesitation.

"Simon is through there," she said, pointing to the left door, "but _he _that way." She pointed to the right.

Mal didn't have to ask who "he" was. A determined look crossed his face. "You go get your brother," he instructed her, "I'll deal with him."

She looked back. "He is more than he seems," she warned. "He isn't afraid to fight dirty."

Mal grinned. "Neither am I, darlin'," he told her, savagely, "neither am I." He headed through the right door while River went through the left. The sudden sound of gunfire was heard followed by deadly silence. He pauses a moment, his heart leaping his throat until he heard more gun fire.

He smiled. _That's my girl!_

He continued on his way until he came to the only door left. It was unlocked and inside he found a well dressed man standing at a window, looking out of it.

"Well, well," the man said, turning around, "Captain Malcolm Reynolds, we meet at last. I am…"

Mal's pistol was pointed at him. "I know damn well who you are," he growled. "You're the bastard that came on my ship, stole one of my kids, and ordered the death of a little girl!" He fired, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Unfortunately, the man just got back up and smiled. "Do you take me for a fool, Reynolds," he said, "I am, of course, wearing full body armor under my clothes."

Mal growled. "All right then," he said, tossing his pistol, "I guess we do this the old fashioned way. Mano-eh-Mano." He charged, tackling the man, and began punching him in the face.

_This is for Simon! This for River! And this is for KAYLEE!_

River dispatched one group of hired guns after the other until she finally reached her brother's cell. Opening it, she found Simon inside lying on the floor. It was then, and only then, did she come back to herself fully. Despite the fact she was literally covered in blood, she rushed to him and hugged him.

He looked up at her. "River?" he asked, surprised to see her. "Are you all right?"

River looked up, brushing both blood and tears from her face. "Yes," she said, "but Kaylee's gone."

Simon felt his face crumple for a moment but willed the grief down. "I know," he told her. "Where's Mal?"

"Dealing with him," she said, her face becoming the lionesses again.

Simon got up. "I'm going to help him," he told her, "you coming."

She nodded. "Yes," she said, determined. "We'll make him pay."

Simon knelt down beside one of the fallen men and picked up his gun. "You bet your ass we will," he growled. "C'mon." Together, brother and sister raced down the hallway.

Mal and Gabriel Tam were engaged in a brawl more or less, neither one gaining the ground on the other for two long. It turned out the snotty aristocrat was actually pretty good at throwing punches and apparently, as River had warned him, wasn't above kneeing a man…but then, neither was Mal. They had both been kicked in the family jewels more than once.

"You're good, Reynolds," Gabriel said, smirking, "but I'm better."

"Oh, really?" Mal asked. "Not from where I'm standing."

"You won't be standing for long," the other man said, pulling a pistol from behind his back and leveling at him. "Surprise."

Mal glanced at his pistol, which lay across the room.

"Go ahead, Captain," Gabriel Tam said, sneering, "you'll be dead before you get to it. As dead as that little bitch on your ship is now."

Mal growled and was about to go for his gun when a shot rang out and he looked to find Simon standing in the doorway with a gun in hand. He looked back toward Gabriel to find the man had a hall right in the middle of his forehead. As he fell back into death, he stared at his son as if he couldn't believe what he'd done.

Mal couldn't really believe it, either.

"Simon," he said, gently, "give me the gun, son."

Simon stood staring at the spot where he father lay. "He killed Kaylee," he said, his voice full of emotion. "He didn't want River or Mom. He didn't really love us. He…He…" The gun slipped from his hands and he fell to his knees.

River caught the gun and Mal caught Simon. He crushed the boy to him in a fiercely protective hug and the boy began to sob, long and bitterly.

Mal held him, rocking him, his own tears spilling down his face.

River walked to where her father lay. "The devil has a new playmate," she said, staring down at the man who'd sired her, "and God has Kaylee now. A life for a life, an eye for an eye."

She looked up at Mal and Simon. "Revenge," she whispered, "not so sweet, after all."

TBC…


	18. Moving Forward

**Firefly**

"**A **_Little _**Adjustment"**

Summary: After Miranda, the crew of _Serenity_ faces a few "little" adjustments after another memorable visit to Persephone.

Author's Note: Post-_Serenity,_ so both Wash and Shepard are dead. If you read my profile, and my other stories, you'll see that I write father/son fics. This one is no different. In the show, Mal always acted fatherly towards Kaylee and River, but never to Simon. This fic will mostly center on their relationship as it forms into something closely resembling father and son. Also, I'd like to apologize for the typos in the first chapter. Sorry ;)

Warning: **Spanking in this story**. If this bothers you, **DO NOT READ THIS STORY OR REVIEW IT**.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters or this concept. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Chapter 18: Moving Forward

They buried Kaylee on her home planet, but her true funeral was held on the planet where they had erected the memorials for Wash, Shepard, and Mr. Universe. Kaylee's memorial showed a picture of her true self, rather than the twelve year old they had buried.

They all stared at the hologram image of the sweet smiling young woman who had touched all their lives and improved it just by being herself.

Simon hadn't spoken to anyone, not even River, since Mal had carried him off the Alliance cruiser where they had left all the bodies.

Mal had only spoken to issue orders, ignoring everyone otherwise.

Inara had remained in her shuttle, allowing her grief to run its course.

River had remained at her brother's side, offering what comfort she could.

Jayne had stayed out of the way, his own pain at Kaylee's death nearly outweighing the guilt he felt over it. He hadn't kept his word to Mal, and he even now was waiting for the moment when the captain would decide to dump him out the air lock again. He wouldn't beg this time. He deserved it, after all.

Zoë had stayed at the helm, feeling comfort in sitting in her dead husband's seat. She knew that he and Kaylee were together now and somehow that made her feel somewhat better. She still grieved, in her own way, but at least she knew that wherever Wash was it was now a much happier place because of the chipper young mechanic.

As they all stared at the memorial, Mal glanced over at Inara. Even dressed in a black mourning gown, her hair pulled back into severe bun over which was a black veil, and her face tear stained she looked beautiful to him.

"Marry me?" he asked her, quietly.

She pulled back the veil and looked at him. "What?" she asked with her eyes wide with shock.

"Marry me?" he repeated.

The others were staring at him in total shock, as well.

"Mal," Inara said, "I don't think now…"

He cut her off. "Why not?" he asked, gulping. "Now is the only time we're guaranteed, Inara. Who knows how long it'll be before our faces joins theirs?" He pointed to the stone memorials.

"You're serious," she breathed, realizing he was truly asking her to be his wife.

"Dead serious," he replied, his throat nearly closing with emotion. "I ain't wastin' no more time, Inara. I love you, and I want to marry you."

"Yes," she replied, the grief upon her heart lifting somewhat. It would always be there, but it wasn't as oppressing as before.

"Great," he said, reaching for her hand.

"What now?" Simon asked, looking at both of them.

"I feel like headin' home," Mal said, "to Shadow."

"Why?" the boy asked.

Mal shrugged. "I think I'd like to get married where my ma raised me," he said. "I'd like you kids to see it. If that's all right with you?"

Inara smiled. "I'd like that," she said, tightening her grip on her hand.

"Then let's go," he said, and together they turned to head back toward the ship.

Jayne and Zoë followed, but River and Simon remained behind.

"Is everything going to be all right?" Simon asked his sister.

River looked at him. "Everything changes, Simon," she told him, reaching for his hand. "Time continues to move forward. There is no going back."

"No," he agreed, staring at Kaylee's memorial, "there isn't."

"We must all move forward with it," she continued, "or we'll always be afraid to face what's coming."

Simon nodded. "C'mon, River," he said, gesturing toward _Serenity_, "let's go home."

River smiled back. "She's happy, Simon," she told him, "are you?"

Simon thought about that. "I'm sad, River," he told her, honestly, "but otherwise, yes. I'm happy. I'm happy that we now have true home and that we have a family that loves us."

"Me, too," River said.

"Good," Simon said, squeezing her hand. "C'mon, before "Pa" comes out yelling."

"He's only ever yelled at you," River reminded him, teasingly.

Simon chuckled. "You're still a brat," he told her, as they turned and headed back to the ship.

"You're still a boob," she told him, and then smacked him on the shoulder, "and you're it!" With that, she let go of his hand and took off.

Simon stood there for a moment, but then he smiled and took off after her. They raced up the ramp and into the ship, stopping as Mal stood there with his arms crossed.

River came to halt, but Simon couldn't stop and plowed into her. They both landed at the captain's feet.

He looked down at them with a raised an eyebrow. "Am I gonna have ta separate you two?" he asked them.

River and Simon looked at each other and laughed. "No, sir," they answered together.

Mal smiled. "All right then," he said, "carry on, but not too loud." With that, he hit the hatch button to raise the ramp.

He stared as he watched Jayne settle down to clean his guns, Inara join River and Simon at their game, and of course Zoë was heading up to the cockpit to get them on their own their way.

He felt his heart twist as he felt Kaylee's absence, but he pushed that down. He'd always miss his little girl, but he knew she would want them to move forward with their lives.

_Yes,_ he thought smiling, _we'll move forward. We'll just have to make a few more little adjustments._

The End.

So, Sequel?


End file.
